YoU...
"I'm sorry, father," you say. "I was with-"
"Yes, I figured that out," he says wryly. He turns to take a
bowl from the cupboard. You spot a large, steaming pot on the fire and
automatically feel guilty. You stayed out too long and didn't get home
in time to make dinner. Your father had to.
"I really am sorry," you say, moving to help with the soup.
"I shoudn't have stayed out that late."
"Oh, it's fine, Kate," he assures you. "It's not that
you didn't make the food. It's just that I didn't know exactly where
you were. And speaking of where you were," he says, changing the
conversation.
"Kate, I don't know if you know this, but a man who makes potions
like Magdar does is called a magister or medicine provider," he
says seriously. "But a woman who does anything even remotely like
that, is called a witch," he continues. You see where he is going
and stare at your untouched bowl of soup. "Do you know what they
do to witches in this village, Kate?" he asks, knowing the
answer. You nod with a stoic look on your face.
"I think that it is best if you stay away from Magdar," he
finishes. You stand up, careful to avoid your father's eyes.
"I'm tired," you say shortly. You dump the contents of the
bowl back into the big pot and walk into your small bedchamber. You
take one last look at your father with his head in his hands before
closing the door.
Not see Magdar anymore? But that's what you live for! Seeing Magdar,
finding roots and ingredients, learning his trade...that is your whole
life. You fight back the tears rising to the surface. You have no
choice. Your father makes perfect sense, and even if he didn't, you
love him enough to obey him. He does not give many commands, you
think, trying to convince yourself. I have obeyed those few. No need
to interrupt my perfect track record now, right? you think ironically.
A loud thump from the main room jolts you from your thoughts.
"Father?" you call dazedly, still wrapped up in your cloud
of deep thought. You he a soft click and the house is silent.
"Father?" you say again, rising from your bed. You open the
door and a bolt of shock goes through your body.
"FATHER!"
"Kate? Is that you?" you hear a voice from inside the small
cottage. Moments later, your father appears in the doorway with a
worried expression on his face. "Kate, where were you? You
weren't here when I got home..."
