5. A friend

Sky didn't have a single reason to trust Beata. She was on the Witch Island – it was a place where no-one should be trusted! Sure, Beata looked way kinder than that damn goat… But staying alone appeared to be a better option.

However, it was no longer a matter of choice for Sky. She was tired, her stomach still hurt, she was hungry and miserable. Besides, Beata didn't seem like a bad person. She appeared sincerely friendly! Sky knew she wouldn't make it alone on the damn island, but first she had to ask:

"Why are you helping me? You don't even know me!"

"Because it doesn't look like you'll be fine on your own," Beata commented, looking at her dirty wet dress. "I used to be new to this place too… And it can get scary. I was helped in my own time, so I think I should help someone else. Come on, before you freeze to death! When did you even arrive?"

"This morning."

"And you already got into trouble? Nice!"

"No," Sky cringed. "Not nice at all. I'm afraid it's only the beginning for me!"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not really a witch…"

Telling Beata that was even more dangerous than going with her, and Sky doubted her decision till the last moment. But there was no escaping the truth: she was helpless so far. Beata was the first person to actually care about her. Would there be a second one? Would she live long enough to meet a second one?

She needed help, and she could pay for that help only with her honesty.

Beata listened attentively with her eyes wide open. She seemed like one of those people who can't hide anything. They show what they think, they don't lie about their emotions. Right now she was shocked, but she wasn't going to abandon Sky.

Soon they reached the witch's home – it was close to the place of the attack, that's how Beata managed to hear something was wrong. It was a small cottage, but not the smallest in the Witch Town. It had two storeys, each having a single large room. On the first storey was Beata's workshop, and she lived on the second.

She brought Sky there, left her by the fire, gave her a warm blanket she could wrap herself into, while she took care of her only dress.

"I can't give you any of my clothes, sorry," Beata explained guiltily. "It's all magical, you won't be able to wear it. But don't worry! Your dress will dry fast, and as soon as that rain ends, we'll buy you a new one!"

"You don't have to…"

"But I want to! The thing that happened to you is just not fair! You don't have to deal with it alone."

"Thank you."

She brought Sky a bowl of soup and a plate of hot stew – some meat with vegetables. The taste was unfamiliar, but right now, after not eating for a whole day, Sky felt like it was the best dish in the world. And while she was busy eating, Beata told her story.

She was as young as she looked – she barely turned 20. And she had already spent 2 years on the island �� that was only a small part of the 15 years she was to live here.

Beata was a Flower Witch. Those witches normally work with plants, creating potions, medicines and even poisons. Beata wasn't too interested in poisons though. She was a peaceful soul, she wanted to help people, not kill them.

Unfortunately, everyone makes mistakes. Once she got a client who needed a rare love potion. It was a complicated thing to make, especially for such an unexperienced witch. Beata tried to say no, but the client wouldn't take that answer. He was rich, influential – and very stubborn. She was too young to insist.

Beata decided to try her luck. She thought that the worst thing that could happen was that potion not working. In that case, she would just return the money to her client, and he'd leave her alone!

But things went wrong. The client died right after taking the potion: she turned it into poison by mistake. Beata was so shocked by her involuntary crime she didn't even try to hide. She went to the judge and confessed.

The client's relatives demanded to kill her – which was predictable. But the judge had pity on the young witch. He sent her to the island since she didn't want to harm anyone. She was to spend 15 years here, working, learning to use her powers, never to make the same mistake again.

"And here I am!" Beata smiled widely, finishing her story.

"It looks like you're happy here…"

"Happy? No, not happy, but I know I won't be able to leave this place for another 13 years. That's more than half of my life now! I can't imagine being gloomy all this time. I mean, if I could turn back time, I wouldn't make that stupid potion and go here. But I can't, so I need to survive somehow, and I'll try to be as happy as I can. It's not so bad! You'll get used to it too."

"Well, I should – not like they'll ever let me go away!"

"Don't blame them for that, Night Witches are very dangerous," Beata noted.

"Yeah, but I'm not really a Night Witch!"

"You don't know that! Your powers can awaken any moment, tomorrow or in a year!"

"But how am I supposed to survive before that happens?" Sky asked. "I don't know what to do!"

To her, it was an impossible dilemma. But Beata didn't stop smiling:

"You can stay with me!"

"Are you serious?"

"Absolutely!"

"No… no, I can't! I can't become such a burden to you!"

"You're not a burden!" Beata assured her. "I'd actually want that! It gets lonely… I know many people here, but I don't have many close friends."

"Why? I mean, that's strange – you're friendly!"

"You think that's enough only because you are from another world! By the way, that's another cool reason to hang out with you! But here, being friendly is enough only if you're human. Witches have different rules… Not all of us even accept the very fact of friendship. And most witches prefer to stick to their own kind."

"Can't you do that? Aren't there any other Flower Witches on the island?"

For the first time since the beginning of their talk, Beata's smile finally faded.

"There are, but… We don't really like each other. I don't want to talk about it… Let's talk about us! If you stay with me, it's a win-win situation!"

"I can see how it's a win for me," Sky nodded. "But what's in it for you? I'm useless!"

"First of all, you're not useless! I can already see you're a good person and will make a good friend!"

"You're too naïve for your own sake…"

"Maybe," Beata shrugged. "But I believe it. Also, it's not like I'm not winning from this! While you don't know what job you can get, you can help me. I still sell potions, and in those two years I haven't killed anyone else, mind you!"

"But how can I help you with that? I don't know anything about potions!"

"Well, to make a potion, you need to get ingredients first. Can you collect plants, wash them and dry them?"

"I think so."

"Then you can help me! And with selling them, too. See? You're useful! And… well, we don't know anything about your powers. If you finally gain control over them, you'll become a power everyone will have to respect. It's useful to have a friend like that!"

"And if my powers don't awaken?"

"Don't care!" Beata laughed. "My life will still be better than it was before you! See? That's what a win-win situation is!"

Beata had a rare gift of making people feel better. She probably didn't realize it, but the result remained the same.

When Sky first came to this island, she felt like she was doomed. When the goat attacked her, the feeling only grew. There was no way out! Dying was the only option left for her – because it was less humiliating and painful than everything else. But now she suddenly had a place to sleep, food to eat and a person to answer her questions.

This new life might not be too bad after all…