Chapter Text
Eda tapped her fingers impatiently on the scorching hot plastic table her human collectibles sat atop. The summer heat of the Boiling Isles was becoming unbearable as the afternoon dragged on. She hadn’t had a single customer all day. Hell, she’d hardly even seen anyone all day. The sweltering air of Bonesborough had coerced its residents to stay indoors in the shade. The more adventurous few could be found relaxing in the cold of the Knee on a day like this.
Still despite the weather, Eda wasn’t used to not having customers. Her human treasures always attracted a crowd, and once there was a crowd her charismatic charm never failed to swindle a handful of poor witless witches.
“Oh it’s that stick in the mud, Warden Wrath.” She had rationalized to King, “He’s been doubling down on his arrests to compensate for his embarrassing lack of any real authority, trying to impress those Emperor’s Coven boneheads.”
King climbed on top of her table and poked around the piles of ‘human treasure’. “Or it could be that it’s a thousand degrees out and no one wants to buy garbage!” He said with a cackle.
She snatched a sticky hand shaped gel monstrosity out of King’s hand and placed it back in its rightful spot under the ‘jewelry’ section. “You know, I don’t recall asking you. Besides I already sent Owlbert to get more stuff. We just need something worth selling! Something extravagant and sparkly to draw people in!”
“You there!” She shouted to a witch passing by, she held up an eyelash curler. “Can I interest you in a torture device humans use to remove their own eyes?”
The witch looked horrified and started to walk away. Trying to stop them, she held out a record “What about this large, strangely sharp human frisbee? Great for self defense!”
The large, strangely sharp human frisbee did not draw the witch in. In fact, the large, strangely sharp human frisbee seemed to make the witch walk away from Eda even faster.
“Well what do they know!” Eda huffed, crossing her arms.
“Yup,” King said curling up in a ball on top of a sack, “Maybe it’s time you give up your human scam stand and focus on more important things, like making sure my tummy is rubbed enough!”
Though amused by King as usual, she shook her head and sprayed him with a water bottle. The fur on his back stood on its ends as he fled from the table with a squeal. Eda chuckled loudly allowing a snort to escape as she wiped a joyful tear from her eye.
Several small hoots came from the ornate purple tent standing tall behind Eda’s dingy stand. She turned to see Owlbert tugging an outwardly small tattered green sack behind him. He flew up above Eda and dropped the sack on the beat up plastic table in front of her.
“Owlbert, what’s the meaning of this?” She asked rummage through the evidently empty sack.
He hooted indignantly.
“Trash day!? Don’t they know it’s human treasure day!” Eda groaned with annoyance.
King climbed up her side and burrowed himself into her hair. “Does this mean we can go home now!? Francois and I have a coup to plan!”
Unwilling to admit she too was starting to feel her skin burn, she feigned defeat. “Ugh, fine! We can go home!”
She summoned her table of collectibles into the air and wrapped them in a cloth. King, still wrapped in her hair, the two of them soared off back to the owl house on Owlbert. Savoring the breeze, Eda took the more scenic route home. She flew Owlbert through Forearm Forest, one of her favorite places to fly through, slowing down near the looking glass ruins long enough to watch a chubby orange baby griffin chase a sparrow with its parents.
They landed in front of the cozy coastline cottage and King scampered off of Eda’s shoulders in search of his favorite plushie, Francois.
“Back so soon, eh?” Hooty inquired, more than happy to see the owl house inhabitants back early, “If you missed me you can tell me, I’ll react a normal amount.”
Eda rolled her eyes.
“Ugh, can it, Hooty.” She said, pushing past her unyieldingly intrusive house demon. She placed her sack of human treasures by the door and sent a wave of sparks through the living room, igniting the ancient candles that brought the room to life with a soft warming glow.
She stretched out on her worn velvet sofa and began flicking through a stack of newspapers Hooty had vomited up that morning. The same mindless news stories peppered the front pages in hopes of enticing a more simple reader. Covens this covens that, what a load of crap, Eda thought. More propaganda promoted by the supreme ruler of the evil bonehead club, Emperor Belos. That thousand year old creep and his asinine coven system could trip and fall into the boiling sea for all Eda cared.
She tossed the newspapers aside with a groan and laid her head back to watch the twinkling lights from the candles as they danced on the cobwebbed strewn ceiling above her. Subdued by the afternoon sun she closed her eyes, foolishly accepting the abnormal silence around her.
CRASH
Eda sprung from her laxed position and raced to find the source of such loud commotion. In the kitchen, a now terrified King was clinging to one of the rough wooden beams that stretched across the ceiling.
“Eda! Eda, get me down!” He cried.
She summoned him down from the rafters, completely shell shocked at the state of her kitchen. A broken ladder had fallen onto the dirty stuffed rabbit, Francois, that King was now eagerly trying to release from beneath it. Pots and pans littered the floor on top of discarded newspapers in a pattern like assortment.
“What in Titan’s name are you doing in here?!” Eda asked. She towered over King, her hands on her hips, horrifically mimicking a stance her mother used to take with her when she was a child.
King stopped struggling to free Francois and chuckled nervously. “Heh…we were….playing war?”
Eda took a deep breath trying to compose herself. ‘This is what you signed up for, Edalyn.’ She told herself. ‘You brought the demon into your house, you told him he was some despotic overlord, you have to deal with the consequences.’
“Okay.” She said, lifting the ladder off Francois for King to grab, “From now on, the kitchen is a war free zone. You and Francois may play war outside…-“ She trailed off, her attention being driven to the newspaper clipping Francois had been laying on.
She lowered herself to the ground, sitting on her knees as she picked up the article.
Raine Whispers to be sworn in as head of the Bard Coven this September.
Her heart raced as she poured over the article.
In light of Scooter Crane’s advancing retirement, The Emperor’s Coven is delighted to announce Assistant Head Witch, Raine Whispers, will be assuming the position of Head Witch this fall. Scooter Crane has been Head Witch of the Bard Coven for the last fifty years. It was with bittersweet remorse he announced his retirement back in April. Assistant Head Witch, Raine Whispers, has been a prominent member of the Bard coven for the last fifteen years, and has been mentored by Scooter Crane himself. When asked for a comment, Raine said: “I am honored to lead the Bard Coven. I have always held much pride in my position here within the coven and can’t wait to help usher in the next generation of bard witches.”
So, Raine Whispers was going to be head bard? Eda read the article over and over again, tracing her finger delicately across the forever still image of Raine accepting an award with a joyful smile across their face. Eda won’t lie, she had kept a close eye on Raine’s work within the bard coven over the years. She always knew they were powerful, but head bard? She thought back to their youth, to the days where the two of them were still carefree wild witches in love. They talked of running away together, of going through the portal door and never coming back. She knew Raine had always wanted more, but all she ever wanted was them. But then they left.
She shook her head to snap herself out of the trance. It had been a while since she thought about Raine. But every time she did she felt the same melancholy tug sink her heart into the pit of her stomach to be abandoned there for eternity.
Her heart heavy, she tucked the article into a scrap drawer and made her way back to the living room. The last of today's sunshine flooded the area with an enchanting orange glow through tall stained glass windows. As night began to fall, Eda found herself getting drowsy. Careful not to wake a snoozing King, she rifled through a large chest in the corner of the room for her elixir.
“Damn it!” She muttered to herself. Face to face with an empty chest she reluctantly hurried to put on a cloak.
The last thing she wanted right now was to travel to the night market. However, turning into the owl beast most certainly wasn’t on her to do list for the evening.
She scribbled a quick note for King and pressed a goodnight kiss on his forehead. He snuggled up in a tight ball under her touch and slept away. Shutting the door behind her she turned to Hooty.
“Hooty, I’m going to the night market for more elixir, do not let King get into any trouble.” She asked of the house demon.
“Ma’am!” Hooty nodded, thrilled to be given a task and locked up the house. As much as Hooty had the tendency to annoy Eda, she couldn’t help but feel appreciation for his undying dedication to her and King. She took off on her staff towards the outskirts of Bonesborough.
Just outside of the bustling city of Bonesborough, nestled a notch below the snowy Ribcage lay waste to the dingiest most dangerous outlet on the Boiling Isles, the night market. The night market was a breeding ground for criminal activity, where wild witches and demons could come to pawn their illegal hexes, potions, gimmicks, and even curses. Lucky for Eda, she fit right in.
She made her way past an array of witches and demons offering to pay her for her gold fang, a lock of her hair, or a vial of her blood. Titan knows what any of them need that for, and Eda was not in the mood to find out.
Crammed within scores of other stands sat the dimly lit stall she was in search of, Monsieur Mélanges. She hurried to the stall and handed its vendor the tag for her elixir. The vendor, an aged wrinkling demon, chuckled sinisterly.
“But of course we have your elixir in stock. All it will cost you is one of your feathers.” They said.
Eda was taken aback. “What in Titan’s name do you want with my feathers?” She asked incredulously. These night market freaks always came up with the most mystifying forms of payment.
“Ingredients affected by a curse make for powerful potions.” They explained, “Tick-tock, Owl Lady.”
She groaned with irritation but plucked a feather from the back of her leg that had been sprouting the longer she went without her elixir. They exchanged their items and Eda popped the cork to the elixir right then and there. She downed its disgustingly bitter orange contents and tossed the empty bottle aside.
“Pleasure doing business with you, come back anytime.” The vendor said, disappearing back into their stall. Annoyed but thankful she was no longer sporting itchy black feathers she climbed back onto her staff intending to head back home. Halfway over Bonesborough a spectacle caught her eye. People danced through town square to a jovial song being played by four performers. Curiosity getting the better of her, she landed behind the crowd to investigate. The four performers stood on the edge of a large water fountain in the middle of the plaza. They wore masks resembling bats and played their music cheerfully for the audience, their music seeming to generate its own aura of lights and emotions.
Her mind wandered back to Raine. How they would sit outside her window at night and play music to conjure twinkling lights. Or how the sound of the song they’d play together could perfectly capture what it felt like to be in love. They wouldn’t be caught dead in a performance like this.
She shook her head. ‘Stop thinking about Raine.’ She told herself. Feeling a little sorry for herself and in need of a distraction she made her way into Grimgrub’s Pub just beyond the crowd the performance had brought in.
“The usual, Kevin.” She said sitting atop a stool at the bar.
A tall witch with purple hair and white freckles turned to face Eda. “I’m sorry, my dear I’m not sure what that is.”
“You’re not Kevin.” Eda said looking at the witch disappointed, she always enjoyed venting to the witch who typically tended to the bar. Kevin, on the other hand, did not feel the same.
The purple hair witch laughed. “No, Kevin took the night off. I’m Hila. What can I get for you, dove?”
“Apple blood. The strongest you’ve got.” She glumly put her head in her hands, “I’m Eda, by the way.”
Hila placed the glass of apple blood in front of Eda. “Not Eda, the owl lady?” She asked, “Kevin wouldn’t be very happy if he found out I served you. He says you owe him five hundred snails.”
Eda snorted. “Well then if Kevin asks, I am not Eda, the owl lady. I am Eda, the regular lady.” She took a large sip of her drink, “The regular lady who does regular things and isn’t in a pub making herself more bummed out than she already was.”
“Alright Eda, the regular lady.” Hila said, topping off Eda’s drink, “I won’t tell Kevin anything, if you share what’s on your mind with me.”
Eda smiled at the witch, grateful she was up for a conversation. “I don’t know.” She explained, drinking down her apple blood, “Do you ever just wish you had done something differently in the past? Acted differently, tried harder, fought for what you wanted.”
Hila listened intently while she cleaned the bar counter. “Sure, everyone has regrets don’t they?”
“No, it’s not like that.” Eda explained, “I mean I had one good thing and that was it and that’s all I wanted and I screwed it up and I’ve spent the last fifteen years wondering if I did it on purpose.”
“Well, did you do it on purpose?” She asked, filling up Eda’s glass again.
Eda sighed and down her third glass of apple blood. The metallic sting started to get to her head. “I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought…I don’t know what I thought.”
“Sure you do.” Hila said, offering her another glass of the spiced red liquor, “You thought you were protecting someone, but they didn’t need protection did they?”
Eda obliged to a fourth glass and shook her head. “No. They didn’t. And now it’s too late.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah. It is.” Eda finished her drink and tapped her hands on the bar. “I’ve got to get going if I want to make it home in one piece, thanks for listening, Hilda.”
The witch chuckled. “It’s Hila.” She said, “And I can help you, Edalyn. Under three conditions. Condition A; you can’t tell anyone. Condition B; you can’t tell anyone. And Condition C; you’ll find help where you found love.”
Eda looked at the bartender like she had snakes for hair, which for all Eda knew under the influence of apple blood, she could have snakes for hair. “I have no idea what you’re saying.” She said. She was far too drunk to try and understand riddles right now, all she wanted to do was find her way back to her nest.
Hila winked. “You will.”
Unsteady on her feet she clung tightly to her staff as Owlbert swept her away back to the owl house. The chilling night air doing very little to sober her up. She smacked her staff against the front door to wake Hooty up.
“Ow! Hoot! Eda you’re home late! What took you so long?”
“I took a sidetrack.” She slurred confidently, too drowsy to keep her eyes open, “Now let me in.”
Hooty swung the door open and Eda sluggishly made her way inside, dragging her feet as she went. She dropped her staff off at the door and flopped down on the sofa next to King, certain she would not make it all the way up to her room.
She curled up with a plush blanket and let the potent apple blood she would regret in the morning gently lull her into a deep sleep.
* * *
Eda woke up on the couch with a horrible headache. Her joints felt stiff and achy from sleeping in such a confined position. King must have scampered off to the kitchen in search of breakfast already. With a groan she sat up, immediately regretting this as nauseous flew through her body with fury. ‘Okay maybe I shouldn’t have stopped to drink in a pub last night’ she thought miserably.
Shakily, she made her way to her feet. The room still spinning around her. ‘Dang, that was some quality apple blood.’ She may be sick as a dog but she could still appreciate a properly aged apple blood when she got it.
The kitchen was surprisingly quiet this morning. She peered around the corner in search of King who was nowhere to be found. Figuring he was outside playing she poured herself a cold glass of water from the sink, sipping it gently to calm her stomach.
She sat down on a stool and laid her head down. Footsteps in the hall told her King was coming to bother her with something.
“Good morning, Eda.”
Eda froze. Her head still laid down on the counter, she squeezed her eyes shut and her mind raced. What the hell did she do last night? She remembered going to the night market, stopping to see some lame performance, and going to the pub. The pub! For Titan’s sake did she bring someone home from the pub?!
“Are you feeling ill? Or have you really fallen asleep at the table?” The voice asked again.
Eda recognized the voice and her stomach turned again threatening to expel its contents on her kitchen floor. ‘Did I bring Raine Whispers home from the pub?!’. Dear Titan, this was worse than just being hungover.
Slowly, Eda picked her head up and glanced at the witch who stood leaning against her kitchen counter, sipping coffee like this was an everyday occurrence.
“W-what…what are you doing here?” She managed to get out. “I know, I know.” Raine said putting their mug of coffee down, “I really should be at the market by now. I felt like having a slow morning for once.”
“The…market?” Eda glanced around her kitchen confused. Everything looked exactly how she had left it, the only difference being the mint green haired bard witch who had broken up with her fifteen years ago was standing in the middle of it. Except, Raine did look a bit different. Their hair was a little longer, it framed their face gently, accenting a pair of red rimmed glasses sitting on the bridge of their nose. They looked far more laid back and casual, wearing a white t-shirt tucked into a pair of worn jeans instead of their usual bard uniform.
“Don’t worry I’ll take care of it, you look like you could use some more rest.” Raine gently placed a hand on Eda’s and looked her over, “Are you feeling okay, you look ill?”
Eda could only imagine the look of pure unadulterated confusion on her face. Why was Raine Whispers in her kitchen, and why were they ever so gently caressing her cheek?
“Where’s King?” She asked.
Raine looked confused. “Who?”
She stood up and put some distance between the two of them. “King. The size of a small dog, has a skull for a head?”
Raine nodded though clearly confused. “I will keep my eyes out for him. I really should get going now, Luz is already waiting for me outside and you know how she gets.” They gave Eda a quick kiss goodbye before ducking out the door.
Eda brought a hand up and covered her mouth where Raine had just kissed her. “Luz?” She asked herself.
For a moment she thought she was dreaming. She followed Raine into the living room just in time to see them shut the door behind them. Now properly awake she took a second to glance around the living room she had previously not noticed. This technically was her living room but it was different. This living room was…cleaner? This living room was eclectically decorated by human treasures, it looked more put together rather than her human treasures being loosely scattered around in an order-less manner.
She looked at a picture frame sitting on top of a very cluttered coffee table. Her legs turned to jelly and she had no choice but to sit down. In the picture frame sat a photo of Raine and Eda, both wearing white outfits, Eda held Raine bridal style as a veil flowed around them from atop Raine’s head.
Unable to hold it in anymore, she vomited into a nearby waste basket.
What the ever-loving fuck was going on?