Page 36 of Bewitched

“Then who does?” asked Rhys. “We need to know what it is we’re looking for.”

“Only the sage knows,” said Alaina, getting a groan from Darium.

“The elf again?” asked Darium. “Why couldn’t it be someone else? Anyone else?”

“Where is Elric?” asked Zann.

“He might have gone home. I’ll go get him.” Alaina raised her arms above her head and the wind started to swirl around her. It lifted her up into the sky, and she disappeared toward Glint, the elven village.

“Well, what do we do now?” asked Zann.

“We sit down and wait.” Darium sat down on the grass, lying back and putting his arms behind his head.

“There’s nothing else we can do, I suppose,” said Zann, lying down on the ground next to him and doing the same. “A little nap right now sounds good to me.”

Rhys didn’t want to sleep or rest or even wait. He felt the need to find Medea and decided to go look for her himself. He made his way over to Rapunzel. “Do you have any idea where I might find Medea?” he asked. “I’d like to talk with her.”

“With Medea, who really knows?” said Rapunzel, sounding disgusted. She sat down on a log, seeing a mouse nibbling around the ground next to her in the torchlight.

“Why do I get the feeling that everyone wants me to stay away from her?” asked Rhys. “Is there something I should know?”

“Medea is... different,” said Rapunzel.

“I know,” said Rhys.

“You do?” Rapunzel’s eye opened wide. The mouse came over and climbed up on the log next to Rapunzel.

“She’s young, I understand that,” said Rhys, nodding his head.

“She’s younger than you think, Rhys.”

“What does that mean?” He sat down on another stump nearby.

Rapunzel let out a sigh. She looked around her and then leaned in and spoke softly. “If Medea ever finds out I told you this, she’ll kill me.”

“Tell me what?” he asked.

“She is... born of both light and dark magic,” explained Rapunzel. “Her mother was an evil witch, and her father, my father, is a good warlock.”

“Are you saying Medea is bad?” The mouse started to squeak. Rapunzel tried to swish it away.

“I’m sure everyone has good and bad in them; it is just that sometimes it takes years of experience to control it at all.” Rapunzel seemed to choose her words carefully.

“The girl has had twenty years to do it. How much more time does she need?” asked Rhys.

“You don’t understand. She’s been forced to grow up quickly. Very quickly,” said Rapunzel, moving away from the mouse that was now down by her feet.

“I and my brothers had to grow up quickly, too, and without the guidance of a mother.” Rhys said this to prove a point. He felt that everyone was overreacting concerning Medea.

“Believe me, my sister would have been better off without her mother around to guide her.”

The mouse bit Rapunzel on the foot. She cried out and jumped up.

“Damned mouse,” said Rhys. “I’ll take care of it. We’ll have it for supper.” He stood up and drew his sword. The mouse squeaked and then started growing before his very eyes. He jumped back in shock, seeing it shift into Medea.

“Medea! You bit me,” complained Rapunzel, rubbing her foot.

“Well, you deserved it, Sister. You spoke ill of my mother,” Medea answered.