Chapter 12

Hollow:

I’d never wanted so badly, to know what to say. I had done this. Treating her poorly only set me up to look like the bastard I knew myself to be. Of course she would assume this had been a way for me to have fun. I didn’t know how to fix it, so I guess I wouldn’t.

I sat in my father’s chamber, as I had been all morning. He’d been in and out, going about his business like usual. I had no business, so I stole one of Mother’s books, trying to focus on the words. I found them boring.

Father walked back into the room with two guards, their names I did not know. One looked tall and thin, and the other fat and short. So I called them Fatty and Dickface. I’d seen them hassling a beggar who’d come to the door about a year ago, thinking it funny that he had been starving to death. Father had not been amused, and they spent a week locked up as a punishment.

“It only makes sense,” Fatty said. “Think about the timing of it all.”

“What’s the motive?” Father asked. “She has no reason to have killed those men. Tell me what the reasoning is?”

Dickface huffed. “Does she need a reason? The witch is evil, made from evil. She probably did it for fun.”

I set the book down, interested in the conversation now. “Excuse me?”

Father turned to me. “They think the harlequin is the one killing my guards. I think that sounds absurd.”

“She has magic,” Fatty reminded him. “Only something with magic could have turned those people to glass. The witch is the most obvious answer.”

I stood up, taking a few steps over, deciding if I would beat his head into a table. “The first man went missing days before Farley showed up, and the second died while she was entertaining my father and our guests. You think she can give herself double form?”

“Maybe. I do not know what her powers are.”

Father cut him off. “Why would she be so foolish? Surely she would have assumed we would point the finger at her, being the only known magic carrier in the village. Why would she put herself at risk?”

“She’s cocky,” Dickface said. “She doesn’t think we could catch her.”

“Or,” I said. “She didn’t do it, because she has no motive. What would she get out of killing our guards?”

No one had anything to say.

Father nodded. “She wasn’t anywhere near our castle when the first guard died. No one has ever reported the witch near us, and they were told to lookout for her.”

“She’s a trickster,” Fatty said. “Her kind are evil, and must be eliminated. I say you burn her now. If no one else dies, then we know it was her. If the killer comes back, then it is only a witch that has been lost. Nothing important. The villagers would not hold it against you, sire.”

My hands twitched as I took another step to the man. “Touch her, and you die.”

Father put his hand on my shoulder, pulling me back. “Calm. Grene, don’t hurt the witch. I will not kill someone unless I have good reason to. You like to jump to conclusions and point fingers. I don’t trust your opinion. If I find out you laid a hand on her, then I will cut it off. Both of you, leave.”

They hesitated, but only for a few seconds before they picked up and went. When they did, I scoffed. “Fools. How could they possibly think Farley would do such a thing? She lets people beat her and doesn’t even defend herself. She wouldn’t kill.”

I turned back to my father, expecting a reply. Instead, I found a man watching me intently.

“What?”

His eyes narrowed in scrutiny. “Your passion for her case is concerning.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because you don’t have passion. Yet, at the very thought of someone harming the witch, you jump to her defense. Why?”

I shrugged it off. “Because their arguments were stupid, and they would have had a sixteen-year-old girl murdered for nothing.”

“Since when do you care about things like that?”

“Since now, I guess.”

“Well,” he said as he went back to his seat. “I don’t know if I like it.”

I looked to the door, unsure of what to do next. Those men wouldn’t have openly defied my father, for fear of death. That didn’t mean that they wouldn’t have staged some kind of ‘accident’, to get rid of the threat. I wouldn’t let that stand, and every guard in this castle would die if something happened to Farley.

“You’re making me nervous,” Father said. “Leave. Go find something to do.”

An idea came to mind, and it felt like a terrible one. Naturally, I set my heart on it. “All right. I’ll be back later.”

I left the chambers, and went off in search of my little witch. She would have been in one of three places, but I didn’t bother looking in her room. I went right to the kitchen.

I found her stuffing her face with meat and bread, eyed dead and unfocused. I hoped that meant she enjoyed the meal. She didn’t see me until I sat with her.

“Are you still angry with me?” I asked.

Farley set her food down, watching me as she chewed. “I would be terrible if I were angry with a dying person, yet, I can’t seem to get past that final line in my mind.”

I took one of her bread rolls, ignoring when she called me a name. “I like you,” I said simply. “I wouldn’t hurt you on purpose, because I don’t want you to feel bad. That doesn’t mean I won’t do it on accident. I probably will a lot. This wasn’t a game I was playing. I enjoyed when we played around, and I wanted to share with you more about me. The timing wasn’t great, but I cannot change it. Tell me you forgive me.”

“Is that an order?”

“Yes.”

She smiled at me. “I don’t respond well to orders.”

I clicked my tongue. “Then I can only imagine how much it will anger you when I say I’m taking you to the market today.”

She gasped.

I mocked a gasp back at her. “Oh dear! And I’m making you put on a new dress! You must be so annoyed right now.”

“I am. What makes you think I’ll do as you say?”

“Because I’m the prince, and I can tell the cooks to not let you have meat anymore.”

Farley growled at me. “You wouldn’t.”

“Are you willing to risk that?”

She stood up, taking her plate in her hands. She whispered something to herself, calling me a little bitch, and then walked off. Of course, I followed her, and then dragged her into the seamstress’ work room.

“We’re taking a dress,” I told the woman. When she opened her mouth, I gestured with my hand for her to close it again. I got a glare, but that didn’t feel so out of the ordinary.

Farley stopped in front of the dress rack, and I took her plate while she looked. She had many options that would have suited her well, but I had my eye on one. I waited for her to pick it.

And she didn’t.

“Nope,” I said, taking it out of her hands. “That’s an old lady dress. Try this one.” I gave her another, and her eyes went wide. “What?”

She made a gulping sound. “That’s a little too… nice for me.”

“Nonsense. Put it on.” I tossed it over her face, and got kicked as Farley left to go change. Since I didn’t think she would have let me watch, I stayed with the seamstress, sitting at her table with her as I waited.

She laughed at me, and I turned to glower. “Something to say?”

The woman leaned on her hand. “I’ve watched you grow up, and not once have I seen you with a person that you didn’t have to stand with. Why are you giving her a new dress?”

“Do I not have the right to do that?”

“That isn’t the question.”

“Maybe I don’t want to answer the question.”

She smiled. “No, you wouldn’t, would you?”

It didn’t matter, because Farley walked back into the room, nothing else existed. She looked nervous, pulling at her dress as she walked in. The top was a corset, because I’d decided it looked amazing on her. This one was dark gray, no sleeves at all. The bottom of the dress was white, and stopping at her knees. Gray stockings would keep her legs warm when we went out, and her coat would take care of the rest.

The seamstress bustled over to her, cooing and praising Farley—as she should have. “Oh you look stunning. You could break a heart or two.”

She could, and would, and had. I rubbed my chest, feeling my heart struggle along with my lungs. I really had to get some control over that, or this girl would have me in an even earlier grave than I had coming.

Farley stepped up, looking at me with expectant eyes. I had to compliment her, and I knew that. What I didn’t know, was what I should have said. Did I tell her she looked pretty? No, that didn’t cover it. Stunning? The woman had already said that. Heart stopping? Might have been too soon for that.

“You look beautiful,” I settled on. “Entirely decent.”

The seamstress rolled her eyes at me, and Farley smiled crookedly. “High praise.”

“Go get your coat, then we can go.”

I followed Farley to her tiny room, thinking over in my head how the conversation would go, if I tried to get my father to give her something proper. We had two other bedrooms in my tower, and she might have liked one of them. Then I would have her close by, and I didn’t hate the idea. It would have been easy to let myself hope she would wander into my room occasionally. Maybe she could seek me out for once.

Farley put her coat on, and I led her outside. The air bit, but I didn’t mind the sting on my skin. Instead of taking a carriage, I thought it would have been nice to walk. My eyes kept wandering to her hand, part of me wanted to take it. Why? I didn’t know. I ignored it. Farley would have hated touching me anyway.

“You look worried,” I noticed as we started down the hill. “What are you afraid of?”

She looked at me as if I were stupid. “Probably because you’re bringing me to the wolves that nearly killed me a hundred times over.”

“Ah yes, I didn’t think about that. You don’t have to worry, because I’ll protect you.”

I couldn’t tell if she believed me.

We entered the village, and it took a moment for people to start looking at us. Farley didn’t keep her face hidden in her coat, which was a good thing, because I would have made her uncover it. No hiding or being afraid with me there. I wouldn’t let a thing touch her.

“Why are we here?” she asked me. “I don’t see the point.”

“We’re enjoying a walk.”

“We could have gone for a walk in the woods. You picked this.”

I did, and I didn’t know why. Being here made Farley uncomfortable, and I didn’t want that. Yet, I needed to be there. I hoped I would figure out why.

Eyes fell on us, and people inched away. I thought for a moment that had been my fault, but then I remembered, they wouldn’t know what I looked like. I hadn’t left the castle in a while, and I never came down here. Not since my mother had died. These people could have thought me a random farm boy for all they knew. But they did know the witch, and they didn’t bother to look kindly at her.

“Let me buy you something to eat,” I said to Farley.

“I already ate.”

I still tugged her along, bringing her to the fruit area. They had a sad looking collection in comparison to what I had at the castle. We got the best pickings of course, and the villagers had what remained. Did I feel badly about it? No, not at all.

“What would you like?”

Farley frowned at me. “To go back home and take a nap.”

“An apple then?”

“Oh, fuck you.”

“Sure, but after I get you an apple.”

I brought her over to a grumpy looking woman that I already hated. If this was the same one, then she had tried to get Farley killed for stealing something she didn’t even have her hands on. She, like everyone else down here, wanted harm to come to her. How could they have looked at a cursed girl, and felt so much hatred when she had never harmed a soul? I did not understand.

“What the hell are you doing here?” the woman growled at Farley. “You should be dead.”

My little witch smiled at her. “Sorry, the king liked me.”

“Ah, I see. So you’re a whore as well as a demon?”

I cut in, feeling the need to add my input. “You are very rude. Has anyone ever told you that before?”

She snorted at me. “I think it’s ruder to steal.”

“And what I believe tops all of that, is telling people that someone stole, when they didn’t.”

“It’s okay,” Farley said. “You don’t have to defend me.”

“But I want to.”

“I would listen to her, boy,” the rude woman hissed. “I would hate for you to get dragged down because this little thing made you stick up for her.”

I smiled, and put my hands behind my back. “You’re a terrible person. Has anyone ever told you that? I have to imagine. I should burn your house down.”

Her eyes popped open wider. “I have never been spoken to like this before. Leave, right now.”

“No. I’m going to take an apple for Farley, and I’m not going to pay for it.”

My little companion looked horrified with me, but did little more than cover her face with her hands. It made her look adorable, and my brain tried to get me to think more about her possibly sneaking into my room. The daydream didn’t get a chance to live though, because this woman insisted on talking.

“Try it,” she said. “And I’ll have the king speak with you as well.”

Farley hid a smile, and I leaned forward. “Oh my. I’m so scared,” I deadpanned. “For that, I take two apples.” And I did. I handed one to Farley, and bit the other.

The woman gasped. “Pay me, or I go get a guard.”

“No. I’m about to say something that will make you wish you never talked to me in the first place.”

“And what might that be? You have three seconds to pay me, or I go and get the king.”

“I think my father has more important things to do than deal with you, actually. But if you want to go get him…”

She stopped, and stared at me blankly. “Excuse me?”

“Yes, your tiny brain is correct. And I’m going to walk Farley away from you now, while you go over every word you just said to the prince of this land. I would like you to stay up tonight, wondering if I’m going to have you killed. Have a nice day.”

I yanked Farley away, and she looked nearly as horrified as the woman did. “You’re not going to kill her, are you?”

After another bite of my apple, I said, “No, don’t be silly. But she can use a little fright in her life. She would have been happy if you died, and she deserves worse than I gave her.”

“Why?”

If I had to tell her, then she wouldn’t have understood anyway.

As we walked, I kept expecting to see her family walking around. I knew she had a brother, as well as those terrible people she called parents. If I saw them again, I didn’t know if I could keep as calm as I had the last time. Farley would not have liked me to have killed her parents.

“Hollow,” she suddenly breathed, pulling on my sleeve. “Can we go back please? Now?”

“What? Why?”

Her eyes locked on a man who stood outside of a shop, hanging up a boar that he must have killed. He looked round, well fed and strong. I did some quick thinking, realizing this had to be the butcher. This man had snuck up behind Farley, and nearly beaten her to death in the woods. Over a cat that Farley didn’t even kill.

I should have brought my sword.

“Please,” Farley said.

I put my arm around her, keeping her body close to mine so that she would feel safe. “I’m sorry. We won’t come back here.”

I would have had her in the clear, but the man saw us when I wasn’t paying attention. He’d appeared in front of us, and Farley huddled closer to me, both arms going around my body. If she sought comfort in me, I knew it was bad.

“What are you doing here, you little rat?” the butcher hissed at her. “I thought we got rid of you.”

“Step away,” I ordered him.

“Or what?”

Farley surprised me, speaking up. “We have no quarrel with you, butcher. Go away and let us leave.”

He smirked. “No, I don’t think so. I would rather stay and see if I can make you tremble more than I already am. You think bringing some man with you will keep you safe? It won’t. We all know what you are, and what you’ll do if we let you back here.”

Farley took a deep breath, but didn’t let go of me. “You beat me, stole my money, and your wife almost got me killed. What else could you possibly want from me, when I’ve done nothing to you?”

The man got too close to her, his yellow stained teeth showing in his snarl. “I want you to stop breathing. I’ll get it, one way or another. The curse on this village will end.”

I made a choice then, and I didn’t have to think t over for even a moment. Farley needed to get home, and I would do that now. Later, I would do my other task. For now, she needed to be my priority.

“Yes,” I agreed with the man. “There is indeed a curse on this village, and I will make sure it is taken care of.”

“How about you get your rodent out of here, before I have to teach her another lesson?”

Later, I told myself. Farley shook against me, and I wanted her safe. I’d brought her here, ruining her day completely. I should have done something kinder.

“Would you like me to bring you to the courtyard?” I asked her as we walked away. “I can pick some flowers for you and you can watch them slowly die.”

She didn’t appreciate my playing around. “I just want to lie down, Hollow.”

From behind us, I heard the man whisper to himself. “Hollow…”

I turned to look at him, and he couldn’t make himself stare into my eyes. But I saw the recognition anyway. He knew now who I was, and that meant he would stew.

Good, I wanted him shaking.