James West - Lady Of Regret

“O-ho, dear one, there’s always a price for favors such as you ask,” Mother Safi said across the rough-hewn table. She sat beyond the candle’s pool of dim light, knotted fingers stroking a weasel curled on the table, her cracked yellow nails rustling through the vermin’s fur.

“A price, you say?” Wina asked, trying in vain to hold her breath. The hovel’s varied stenches were made all the more oppressive by the heat rising off the coals on the hearth behind the old woman. At the edge of sight, in every corner of the room, shapes flitted in the murk. She felt the weight of eyes and unkind intentions upon her, but could not pinpoint the source. I never should have come here .

But she had come and made her request. Turning back was no longer a choice. Lady Mylene and those still alive at Ravenhold were counting on her to return with a cure. Would that she had been able to retrieve a remedy for the plague from anyone else, but none could heal such maladies as Mother Safi. And if the old woman demanded a price, it must be met. But what price?

Mother Safi seemed to read her thoughts. “Of course there’s a price, girl. Compassion and generosity can no fill the bellies of my wee ones, now, can they?”

Wina’s tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth when she caught the weasel staring at her. Intelligence shone from its blood-red eyes, a knowledge far greater than a lowly animal should possess. She swallowed, wishing for a cool drink to cut the dryness from her throat.

“Have you no answer for Mother Safi?” the crone inquired, tone light, cajoling. She shifted her considerable bulk, making the chair creak and groan.

Wina dragged her gaze from the weasel to the pocket of darkness concealing Mother Safi. How does the woman stay hidden? Candlelight bathed the length and breadth of the table and its litter of arcane objects and devices, bundled herbs; its arrays of rounded flasks filled with bubbling and noxious fluids of every lethal hue, assorted skulls, and other things, those that did not bear considering. Mayhap the shadows clinging to Mother Safi were some trick, akin to those she used to play on the children of Ravenhold, back before Lord Gafford had sent her off, some twenty years ago? Mother Safi, folk said of her even now, had always been one for devilishly elaborate pranks. Now Lord Gafford had gone to bones in his tomb, and Lady Mylene could turn to no one else, save Mother Safi.

“So, child, will your precious compassion fill a belly?” Mother Safi asked again, all her former wheedling gentleness absent. “Answer, or be gone.”

“Perhaps not of its own accord,” Wina said, struggling to keep her voice steady, “but compassion of the heart can guide the hand that provides food.” She wondered at these ‘wee ones’ Mother Safi had mentioned. Surely a woman of her years could not bear children. “Trust that if you require food for recompense, why, Lady Mylene will gratefully fill your larder.”

“My larder ?” Mother Safi swept the weasel aside, and thrust her face full into the candlelight. Milky spittle flecked her lips, more wetted her chin. “Think you to trade breath and promises for healing magic? Think you Mother Safi is so unwise to trade a bite of bread for such power as I can give … or is it your mistress who judges me the fool?” As she spoke, the fingers of one hand curled into a fist, nails digging into her palm. A single drop of blood squeezed out and fell to the tabletop.

Stark terror froze Wina. Outwardly, she remained composed.

As if challenged by Wina’s false calm, Mother Safi loomed nearer, a wrinkled hag rumored to have lived three lifetimes, each and every day of those lives bitter and torturous. Yet hers was more than an ugliness of creases, rheumy eyes, and bones ancient and bent. Within her lay cruelty sheathed in spite.

Wina mustered courage enough to speak. “’Tis known within Ravenhold, the Tanglewood, and all through the Iron Marches, you are no fool,” she said evenly. “And but for urgent need, I would not have come at all … for ‘tis also known that you do not idly suffer guests. As to prices, speak your desire, and what is within my strength and authority to give, I shall make it so.”

“Shall you, indeed?” Mother Safi’s fingers tightened, making a second drop of blood join the first.

Wina grimaced, feeling those fingers at her throat, wrapping tight. But that could not be. Surely not. It was just one of Safi’s tricks. “Give me the cure I seek to end the plague and restore the sick,” Wina said, unable to speak above a fearful whisper, “and….” She faltered, struggling to add her mistress’ sole condition. She had to say it, for things must be clear between Mother Safi and the people of Ravenhold. “Fill our need, and after it has proven its worth, you shall be compensated.”

“Service before reward, is that the way of it?”

Wina drew herself up. “That’s Lady Mylene’s price .” Mother Safi’s bland expression revealed nothing. Wina feared she had gone too far, but then the old witch spoke.

“Very well, child. I will cure Ravenhold.” With her bloody hand, Mother Safi picked up a wolf’s skull resting between them. Tipping it, she shook vigorously. Besides flaky bits of dried flesh and a few hairs, an amulet and chain rattled out of the eye socket, and dropped onto the table.

“ That is your cure?” Wina said in disbelief. The chain was silver, but so tarnished as to be mostly black. The eight-sided amulet, with a black gemstone at its heart, had been crudely fashioned from some dark gray ore. Spidery inscriptions encircled the edge.

“It is but the choicest of many possible cures,” Mother Safi corrected, catching the blemished chain with an obvious measure of caution, and lifting it to swing between them.

“If it works as you say,” Wina said, reaching out to take the amulet, “then I thank you beforehand.”

Mother Safi drew the amulet out of reach. “This is no bauble to be passed about on a whim!” The tip of her tongue darted over rotten nubs of teeth, flicked out to lap at the pale drool coating her lips, and retreated, a fat pink worm wriggling back into its hole. She brought the amulet near again. The dark gemstone trapped the candlelight, drew it deep within itself, and there murdered it. “Such a device craves and hungers , child. Even now, it seeks its own prices… Can you meet the demand?”

Wina gagged at the unmistakable pressure building around her neck. She reached up to pull away the witch’s fingers, but Mother Safi was not close enough to touch her. Wina’s nostrils flared, her mouth fell open for a breath that would not come. Her chest began to burn.

Mother Safi leaned closer, an excited leer stretching her lips. “Long have I desired to see Ravenhold fall for Lord Gafford’s betrayal. Long have I waited for recompense. Not in bread and cabbages, you foolish chit … but in blood. And so blood is the price I demand, and blood I shall have-yours, and all those who fester and rot behind the towering walls of Ravenhold. By my strength and authority, I have made it so.”

Wina’s eyes went wide. In shock she found a wild, desperate strength, and drew a gulp of air. “ You set plague upon us?”

Mother Safi cackled madly. “O-ho, it does so bless my heart that you have come begging succor from the very one who afflicted you.” She fell into another fit of braying laughter.

As if drawn to that hellish mirth, the weasel clawed its way back onto the table and sat up on its haunches, red eyes fixed on Wina.

Wina’s throat squeezed shut, her eyes bulged. She clawed her neck, trying to rip off the nothingness that had taken hold of her.