Dances of The Witches

Kasha couldn't help but feel underdressed when around Hannah. Her Majesty. She couldn't comprehend why Julian chose Hannah over her to be the ruler of his new world order. The world she helped build, only to be given to this pampered princess. Kasha never tried to voice her objections, in fear that Julian would do incomprehensible things to her, just like she used to do to their enemies. Maybe even worse. Her only consolation was apparently being the queen meant prison. It was a nice prison, but a prison nonetheless.

Kasha looked at Hannah, who sat rigidly on her 'throne' of wood and cushion. Her white blazer and her skirt embraced her perfectly as if it was grown directly from her body. The more she paid attention to it, the more of the details popped slowly. There were white-on-white patterns embroidered onto the fabric, making a subtle shimmer when she moved. Hannah's perfect brunette waves were beautifully framed to her left and front side. She used minimal makeup, but she looked brilliant.

She wondered if that's a quality of a queen, still looking perfectly beautiful under great stress. She walked slowly towards Hannah.

"What do you think of my outfit?" she asked.

For a second there, she saw a glimpse of surprise and hopefully terror crossing Hannah's face, before it was changed back to its former, elegant, calm, beauty. Hannah looked at her eyes, then moving slowly to her jacket and her pants, before going back to her face. She smiled, "The jacket is charming. The black turned purple when it catches the light."

"Is it beautiful?"

Hannah pondered, then curved her lips down a second before answered, "depends on what constitutes beautiful for you."

"I'm asking for your opinion."

"It's not beautiful, but it's fitting for you. Efficient for fighting, I suppose," her voice also flowed beautifully. Kasha felt weird, she didn't know what it was, but she didn't like it.

"I'm sure you're saying that to be spared of my wrath," Kasha said.

That small glimpse again, then calmness. She was trained in this, "Perhaps." She then bowed her head slightly to the table, drawing something on the table with her perfectly manicured hands, then without looking up, she continued, "you're a killer, aren't you?"

Kasha snorted, then asked, "Julian never told me about you?"

Hannah looked at her, without lifting her head, "I'm afraid not." She then put both of her hands in a praying position, with the elbows on the table, "should he?"

Kasha was vexed by the bitch's jab. She tried to find a hint of insult on Hannah's face, but while she couldn't find it, she sure it was there, "that's cute, Your Highness."

"Tell me about yourself then."

"You won't be interested," Kasha answered, "I suggest you keep your attitude in control, Princess. You may be rich and famous and you have everything in the world, but you are now in a prison. It's a nice prison, indeed, but a prison anyway."

Hannah inhaling and exhaling. She didn't look as bothered with the statement. She otherwise relaxed and leaned back to her 'throne'. "So that what it was…" Hannah said calmly, "…I'm a prisoner. This 'confinement for my safety' was actually my imprisonment. Good to know. Thank you, Kasha."

Kasha was perplexed by the fact that Hannah knew her name, besides the fact that she was unknowingly exposing Julian's plan to her without she's being asked.

"I heard your name being called by Julian," she said, seemingly aware of her confusion. Kasha started to feel like she needed to be careful around this woman. She couldn't just threaten her with harsh words like she used to do to their enemies and victims. Hannah could obviously read her, judge the situation she was in, and finding the information she needed without really appeal to it. She was misjudging her, and she was now afraid of how much she could already read from her.

"You know," Hannah continued, "I really love your pants."

Kasha was bewildered, and it seemed like it was shown on her face.

"No, I really do," Hannah said, "I never understood why I never tried tight pants. It complements our legs beautifully. It communicates power. Self-sufficiency, if you will."

"More than that," Kasha found herself saying, "I'm a self-made woman."

"Aren't we all?"

'Were we the same? No' Kasha concluded. There were differences. Hannah wasn't orphaned. She was rich and pampered and weak. Unlike her.

"Don't talk busy words with me," Kasha tried to dismiss her. She felt like she was under her spell, and the more Hannah's talk, the more she enamored by her.

"I'm sorry, I can't think of another way to try to illustrate some things."

"As a matter of fact, Lady," Kasha banged on the table. Hard. Hannah only closed her eyes before immediately looked at her, "don't talk at all! I'm sick of your all high and mighty attitude. You know nothing about me! You know nothing about your religion and what Julian, The Prophet is trying to do. You are only a pawn in his plan!"

"I'm sorry, Kasha," Hannah said, "I misspoke. I can assure you I never meant to patronize you. You're right. I know nothing about Julian's plan and my part in it. Will you be so kind as to explain it to me?"

For the longest time, Kasha thought of herself as fearless. She didn't mind pain or hardships, they were the parts of her life. The last time she felt like she was now, was when she was still a little girl, being snatched away from her family and her life. It was not the threat of pain that made her remember how it felt to be afraid now, but the way Hannah exposed her bit by bit without her knowing. She didn't like it.

"You know, Miss Hannah…" she felt that she could make her stop talking if she couldn't turn the tables, "…if you don't shut up, I can send those androids here to kill you right where you are." She turned her back on her.

"Why won't you do it yourself?" her calmness sent chills down Kasha's back. She was now wondering why she couldn't bring herself to kill Hannah there and then, or at least smack her pretty face into submission. The memory of fear crept back, but because the cause was intangible, she didn't know how to face it. She wondered why Julian ordered her to watch over Hannah. Was it to make her jealous? Why didn't Julian tell her that this woman could rattle her core this much? Was this a part of the plan?

Another long-lost feeling came: sadness. Kasha pondered the possibility that she was never a part of Julian's end game. She was only her pawn before he could manage to get himself a better queen. She could see why. Hannah was really a princess. She was beautiful and elegant, and an enchantress. While Kasha was just a killing machine. She never mattered to anyone, anyway.

"Kasha?" she heard Hannah asking, "are you okay? What happened?"

She held back her tears and turned back on her, "oh nothing, Your Highness. Something came into my mind. I will show you Julian's plan. All of it."

"All of it?"

"All of it," she nodded.