A Witches Tale:The Coven of Mischief

Book 1

By:Sean Mathew Holmes

Chapter-1 Princess and the Frogs

Dimidel tried her best to keep pace with her instructor, a man with a very no nonsense attitude who would frown and end the lessons early if she seemed like she wasn't paying attention. 

But after getting the day off from lessons she would inevitably be confined to her room for making Mr. Zeltrudes’ job hard. 

Mr Zeltrude was an older gentleman with salt and pepper hair that was cropped short on his skull.

Despite his age he was certainly not an unattractive man, boasting a lean figure that did not seem slowed by his time alive.

He was also very well spoken and well dressed, often fitting in finely with visiting nobles.

She tried her best to stay on his good side, and it wasn't as though she didn't enjoy learning. 

As a matter of fact they had been covering more and more spellwork recently that left her feeling exhilarated with power every time. 

She could still remember the very first time she had learned a spell that wasn't a nursery rhyme and how proud it had made her feel. 

She had turned a butterfly to glass, it made a beautiful little sculpture she still kept to that day.

Today's goal was not something she was going to be excited to do however.

Something she could almost tell by the look on her instructor's face.

“We'll Princess Dimidel, you understand that we both have magic, yes?” 

Mr Zeltrude said Expectantly.

“Yes, sir. Because we’re witches, right?” 

She replied, knowing his next question would be why do we have magic. 

Which, in full honest thought, she didn't know. 

Why did witches have the natural innate ability to cast spells when other species had to try so very hard.

Humans had to do strange things like track the planets and moons to guess when rain would be.

Whereas witches could simply cause the rain to cease or start when and how they wanted.

Then there were the elves, who had some slight magic but nothing a human couldn't accomplish save for a few tricks here and there.

Most of what the elves had came from their relationship with the Faekinds of the world.

Certainly the Fae were capable of great magic, albeit of a very different vein than a witch.

“Yes, but there's more magic out there than us. A Lot more. For instance, did you know a princess has the magic to dispel animal curses? I'm sure you've heard the tale of the frog prince.” 

He said, pausing to note if he had lost her. 

He saw her nodding carefully, if a bit apprehensive, and continued.

“Now imagine the opposite can be true, imagine if a princess could transform an ordinary frog into a man! That is a power that you and only you hold, the power of the servant transformation bestowed only to the female heirs of the royal lineage. Follow me.” He said before turning and leading her to the pond near the castle.

He did not stop to note the bewildered face of Dimidel who nonetheless followed, struggling to keep up with his longer strides.

Mr. Zeltrude walked up to a stump where he had a cage containing three different creatures.

A Frog, a Rabbit, and a Tortoise.

“Choose who would be your first subject if you would please your highness.” 

he said, gesturing to the cage.

Still wearing her befuddled expression she hesitantly pointed to the rabbit.

Mr. Zeltrude retrieved the rabbit who was bucking wildly and trying to shove off with his feet, until he touched the rabbit's forehead and sent a spell of calming through it. 

“You need not kiss the animals on the lips, luckily i might say, just a kiss anywhere will do. And you have to say these words, ‘Serve Me Well’. Afterwards the creature will become a person with a role most representing them as an animal. For example if you would? ” 

He said holding the rabbit out to her.

She gingerly held him and pecked him on the cheek, and whispered.

“Serve me well.”

Suddenly the rabbit began expanding magically and blurred until it became a man with a scouts uniform and powerful legs for running. 

He knelt before her and spoke.

“Hello your grace, I apologize for my prior reluctance, I was unaware of many things as a rabbit and now i can see much. Thank you, your grace, have you any tasks for me?” 

The man said in a deep charming voice, he had an impressive mustache that resembled the ears of his bunny form and a kind and warm face.

“N-no ser, thank you though. What might I call you ser?” Dimidel said

The scout shook his head, 

“I had no name as a rabbit. I would gladly take any name you give me princess.”

Dimidel thought for a moment before speaking. 

“I know! I will call you Ser Breeze! For your speed is as swift as the winds!”

Ser Breeze rose and laughed happily, and Mr Zeltrude brought the frog to her.

Dimidel grimaced but kissed the frog on the forehead, she did note the frog was astoundingly calm without needing a spell. 

The frog expanded into a lithe woman with packed muscles like wound coils. 

She had beautiful long black hair that came down to her hips and sultry lips paired with beautiful green eyes.

In her hands she held a tall bow a long whip, and a quiver at her back.

She jumped a few times before saying.

“Princess my princess, I am not a prince, I'm simply a frog who will never miss.” 

The once frog lady bowed deeply at the end of her statement, her hair coming just shy of the ground.

Ser Breeze rolled his eyes and said. 

“Oh brother, those frogs are always spouting off poetry in the ponds. I had half hoped it wouldn't transfer over here. I hope you don't still croak either!”

The former frog lady glared at ser breeze and then settled her expression on Dimidel.

“What would you dub me, your grace?” 

she said liltily bowing once more.

Dimidel responded quickly, knowing she quite liked this woman.

“Lady True, you may rise. I dubbed thee this because you will always strike true with an arrow and whip, and because you will let no lie past your lips to me.”

The newly dubbed lady True rose and saluted, kicking a little dirt at Ser Breeze as she did.

Ser breeze skittered to the side to avoid it and Mr Zeltrude cleared his throat, causing them to stop with embarrassed faces.

Finally Mr Zeltrude brought the tortoise, when Dimidel kissed him he turned into a hulking fully armed soldier with an enormous shield.

She noticed the pattern on his armor was rather in line with the pattern of a tortoise shell.

The hulking warrior removed his helmet revealing a wizened older face that rather reminded Dimidel of her grandfather.

He then knelt with a clunk that shook stone and spoke in an old gravelly voice. 

“Princess Dimidel, I swear by oath of blade and shield to defend you until my dying breath and beyond. Long may you reign. If it is alright with you I carry a name already. My name would be Ser Longfollow, I received this name for following my friends to the end of the continent and back.”

Dimidel nodded 

“You may rise, Ser Longfollow. Protect me always and forever.”

She turned back to Mr Zeltrude, who was smiling broadly at the scene.

There was something off about his smile to her, something… 

Unsavory. 

“Do you want to know something, Dimidel?” 

He said to her slowly.

“Yes sir, of course.” 

she said carefully, almost as slowly as her instructor of ten years had begun speaking then.

“This power hasn't been seen for 300 years.” 

He said in a new voice, one she had never heard before.

A voice that sounded drawn out and distorted, like a bull might sound trapped in a deep we'll. 

The smile turned into a laugh, which evolved into a cackle. 

Then suddenly Mr Zeltrude was floating, higher and higher until he was directly above Dimidel. 

The new animal warriors were looking at Princess Dimidel hesitantly and expectantly, waiting for an order. 

None came. 

Mr Zeltrude began changing, his pale skin melted away, being replaced by a dull red color. 

His clothing was replaced with obsidian colored garb. 

Horns appeared spiraling upwards, he was now a demon with goat slitted eyes and a red scepter. 

Princess Dimidel Screamed, then looked at her new guards and desperately shouted 

“Protect me!” 

The three jumped into action with Ser longfollow briskly stepping between the princess and the demon. 

Lady True used Him as cover as she shot arrows at the demon, who was lazily flicking them away, as the arrows neared him they slowed down enough to be little more than slight obstacles. 

Ser Longfollow gruffly shouted.

“Get the Princess to safety!” 

to Ser Breeze, who grabbed Princess Dimidel bridal style and began running toward the castle's safety. 

As she left she saw the demon laughing before he killed Lady True, Ripping her in half after she tried to restrain him with her whip. 

After that all she saw was Ser Longfollow draw a humongous blade and face the demon, at which point her view was eclipsed by the walls of the keep.