THE WITCH

EPISODE FIVE

"I am not one to consult with witches but I have something to ask" king Vlad was heard saying

"Has it begun?" The witch asked cackling, her rattling chains unnerved the king

"Has what begun?"

"The animal attacks"

"How do you know about that?" The king asked

The witch cackled shaking her head in pity

"Speak Witch!!?"

"It was said in the old scriptures, it was said that it would begin when the one who would bring death to all witches discovers his true love."

"Franco? True love? You speak in parables witch"

"That is the only way I know to speak for the gods did not give me the gift of plain speaking, just prophesy."

"My son Franco does not even know what love is, now how is this happening when he has not discovered his true love like you said."

"His true love might not be a human" the witch smiled knowingly

"Then what? Tell me, what do you know about the attacks?"

"I have been sensing strange energy in the palace from the day before. I have not felt such energy since I…." The witch stopped talking, looking into space before she began cackling again

"Since when?" The king probed.

"I can speak no more king, you cannot stop it. It is meant to happen, the gods have decreed it."

"Shame to the gods and whatever their decree is! If you do not speak this instant woman, I would have you quartered."

"You can kill me oh king but it would not stop the carnage your kind is about to experience. I can only leave you with one word, seek the source and maybe you questions will be answered."

"Damn you!" The king said and exited the dungeons in rage.

"You cannot stop it, you are going to die King Vlad by the hands of your son but which son, I cannot say." The witch called out after him, her cackling bouncing off the walls

...

"What did she say father?" Leon asked as soon as he saw his father storm out of the dungeons.

"She is crazy" the king said walking briskly

"What did she say to rile you so?"

"She said I was going to die at the hands of a son of mine but cannot say which of you is going to kill me. I can only think of one person though."

"Franco isn't it? He always manages to be talked about by the witch but what else did she say? About the attacks"

"She knew even before I asked her, she asked me if it had begun and that it was said in the old scriptures that it would begin when the one who would bring death to all witches discovers his true love."

"We all know Franco is the one who would bring death to all witches but true love? How does that associate with people dying from animal attacks."

"I have no idea and she did not say, I feel witches are trying to mess with us with all of these prophesies. I want you to keep an eye on your brother Franco, I want to know what he does everyday, who he talks to, what he eats, I want to know how many breaths he takes."

"I will keep a guard on him, the trusted commander Kavier."

"I don't want him to know we are watching him, is that understood?"

"Yes father."

"And also the witch said something about a strange energy she has been feeling in the palace since the day before, look into that will you? Check if someone new entered the palace."

"Franco came in with a pet yesterday, another red haired girl. Perhaps that is what she was feeling?"

"I don't think so but look into that without his knowledge will you?"

"I will right away father"

"Send your brother Vicktor to me as soon as he can get himself off a woman's bosom, he is being useless and unruly and we need to have a word."

"I will call on him father"

Leon left king Vlad in a state of confusion, he could only ponder on what the witch had said and how she had claimed he could never stop what was about to happen.

"Find the source and your questions will be answered" she had said but what source was he supposed to find.

....

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Alaska broke the silence between herself and Franco that was threatening to be overwhelming.

"A hunter can always look at his prey however he wants"

"Don't kid yourself, you are no hunter" she scoffed

"Is that so?" Franco said standing up from where he sat and gliding towards her

"Do your legs even touch the floor?"

"What do you mean?"

"You glide and I don't know if that is how all Vampyres walk because I have not had the opportunity to meet one before."

"Opportunity? An average Vampyre would have his fangs in your throat before even knowing your name."

"And yet you have not killed me yet which brings me back to my question, what do you want with me?"

"Listen little girl, I want nothing with you other than the fact that I would kill you when I see fit."

"Isn't that splendid, thank you your highness."

"You confuse me"

"I was being sarcastic" Alaska clarified rolling her eyes

"What is sarcastic?" Franco asked rolling the strange word over his tongue, it tasted bitter

"When you say something you mean the exact opposite of."

"So when I want to be sarcastic and say you are such a beautiful girl while I mean the exact opposite."

"Now you are being insultive, why won't you tell me your name?"

"Franco"

"Franco, not the name I was expecting."

"Is that so? What name were you expecting then?"

"Something like Vlad or Frankenstein"

"My father is named Vlad"

"Isn't that super cliché, someone has been reading Dracula."

"You are funny"

"I know. So tell me Franco, why do you kill girls?"

"I don't kill girls"

"Yes you do, the tale of your killing prowess has spread to even my tiny village."

"I kill red haired girls, that's different."

"Childhood trauma?" Alaska asked drawing her feet up

"More like revenge"

"On whom exactly? Yourself?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Well the fact that you always target a particular set of people, it shows that you have a pain within you that you cannot get rid of so you are projecting."

"What are you, a seer?"

"Not at all, I am just an avid reader as I was never let out of my home."

"You were a prisoner?"

"No but I was kept inside for my own good and safety."

"By whom?"

"My father"

"Of course, fathers always think they know what is best for their children."

"Are you having issues with your own father, the king"

"Not issues, I would rather he did not speak to me"

"Deep issues it is then. Tell me about it"

"You should mind your business, Alaska or I might kill you sooner."

"That escalated quite fast" Alaska said before looking over to the wall, the conversation over.

Franco continued watching her, the curve of her head, the way she fiddled with her fingers and her mouth. They looked like they were begging him to come over and plant his own lips on them, such succulent lips should never be left alone for a long time, her eyes greener than the greenest grass held an innocence he craved for himself. It was hard to look away from her and that was what intrigued him.

"Tell me Alaska, why did you leave your father and your home, wondering the bushes alone obviously lost."

"I would tell you but it is not of your business" Alaska said turning towards him, a sly smile on her face.

Franco laughed for the first time since many years ago, he genuinely laughed and his laughter echoed down the hallway where his brother Leon stood listening in.