Answers

I finish my tea and set the cup down, still with a blank expression on my face trying to process everything. I look at Scatty and she's looking out over the koi pond. S

he turns her head to look at me and gives a comforting smile. "I assume you want me to explain." She gets up and offers a hand and I take it standing up as well.

"Yes, please. I'm very curious." I reply looking at her filled with new questions.

She takes my hand and leads me past the koi pond to a staircase that runs along the mountains behind the estate. We walk quite a ways to a tranquil spot in the mountains over watching a waterfall.

She leads me to the hut on a platform and to the railing which looks over the mountains and the stream of water below. She turns to me and smiles.

"Isn't peaceful up here? This...this is the place I first heard of you, Mavis. By someone called Hekate, a Great Elder who ages throughout the day. She came here when her knowledge was at its peak.

She spoke of a girl, trained and tortured in the dark arts and trickery and forced to do the bidding of a man named Marethyu but referred to as 'Death'. She had hope that this girl would soon come to the light and be salvation to mankind from the demon king's reign.

She spoke of you, Mavis. You are capable of many things, much more from what you know now. He held you back from your true potential. She may have exaggerated the responsibility of being salvation to the world but she did get one thing right.

You are a prime example of light my dear. You may not be it right now but it's in there. Deep within your heart, there is a spark and I can see it. Hope, love, kindness, strength, light, and the will to fight. You were twisted in the wrong direction for too long.

Hekate told me when you came of age, I was to take you under my wing and train you properly in the ways of magic and swordsmanship. I will teach you all that I know of this world and guide you to the light. So Mavis...will you join me." She says poetically and I listen intently.

I start processing everything she said and a burning feeling starts in my chest and I put my hand to my heart. "I'll have to forget all that I learned from him," I say looking down at my feet holding onto the railing.

"Yes you will have to Mavis...but I understand you will need time." She said and I look up at her quickly.

"I wanna forget..." I say bluntly. She looks at me surprised.

"Now why's that your sudden answer?" She asks curiously. I look up at her then out over the waterfall.

"Now it's my turn to tell my backstory," I say and look at her. She nods and leans forward on the rail and listens closely.

"It all started in that forest. I was about 5 or 6 at the time. I held the note my parents gave me but I couldn't read it since I was so young. I walked through the dark forest scared and afraid. I came across Death's Mansion seeking shelter.

I walked up to the door and knocked. He opened the door and saw me standing there with the note and I looked up at him and gave him the note. He read it, tore it to pieces, picked me up looked to see if anyone was there and swiftly pulled me inside without a word.

He gave me new clothes to wear and food to eat and a bed to sleep in. He might sound like the perfect caretaker but he was a demon. He didn't love me, he only took care of me to use me, like a pet.

He taught me to read and write like any teacher would and then once I learned the basics he took me outside and trained me in combat. He gave me a knife and guided me through the motions. Learning to kill and hunt like a monster.

I was barely 7 when he sent me into the village to pillage and plunder to my pleasing. He never asked for please or thank yous. He never expected me to eat politely, or want anything else than I was given. I didn't dare to anger him. When I did something he didn't approve of...journey to the basement for torture.

He beat me, smacked me, made me learn my lesson through violence. When I hit puberty he took advantage of me. I learned not to anger him but treat him like he was my master. I bowed to him, I knelt for him, I cleaned for him....I...*shivers*...I don't wanna talk about it, you get the point.

I was his pet slave that he puppeted to do his bidding and schemes. I have been with him for 6 years... I'm 12 right now so please...help me forget those terrifying memories of him." I say and look at her and she nods.

"I will do my best. Come here, it must have taken a lot to say that." She said holding her arms open and I run to her and hug her.

Tears stream down my face and I sniffle. She puts her hand to the back of my head and embraces me and I feel comfort rush through me.

"You're safe now Mavis. No need to worry about that wicked man anymore. You're safe with me." She says comforting me and I smile.

"Thank you Scatty, it really means a lot to me," I say hugging her tighter. She smiles and hugs me back.

"Anything for you my dear, anything at all."