Beneath, part 4

They all sat down in Bryan’s home, for Bryan was the man’s name. They discussed family matters and happenings. Demy’s youngest daughter was having another child, and soon from the look of her. Three grandchildren were due to be married in the fall. The ‘Actor’, as he was referred to, was playing in the cities of the north. The fields were yielding a steady crop, the livestock bore many strong offspring, and all was in a general state of good health. Sasha sat and listened to them talk to one another as a family. She watched the children play in front of the fire. They were so happy together. She watched the fire burn steadily. As it got low she put more logs on before being asked and watched as the flames climbed higher and let them settle at a gentle roar. She liked a good fire.

She sat on the floor near the fire letting it warm her chilled body. She was starting to feel again, which gave the approaching night a stronger bite. She continued to watch the many families intermingle to the point of becoming one large mass of kinship. She lean her back against the stone of the hearth. There was warmth in the room from more than just the fire. It was beautiful to see.

She didn’t notice how quiet the room was until she saw the children staring. She cocked her head to the side mimicking their awe. Bryan looked across his table his expression unreadable. “How do you make the fire do that?”

Sasha turned her head towards the flames to find it leaping around her arm as she sat too close. She lifted her arm further into the lapping yellow tongues only to watch it pull away from her bare skin. She turned her hand over and over in front of the flames pushing them further into the fireplace. “I don’t know,” she lied. She closed her hand into a tight fist and the fire disappeared into embers. She stood up and quickly walked from the house.

She stood in the cool air of the deepening night. She had stopped feeling again so the cold no longer bothered her. She began walking towards the woods when Ma Demy came tottering out of the cottage. Sasha didn’t turn around to face the old woman, but she stopped. She could feel the old matron thinking of what to say.

Finally, she decided and said, “Where do you think you’re going?”

Sasha turned at this and looked the old woman straight in the eyes. Ma Demy looked right back and she could see some terrible past coming up to find the girl. She felt sorry for the child who was too afraid to be found false that she didn’t bother trying to defend herself.

“You’ve got to help me with the boys when they come to work on the roof.”

“I thought that I might no longer be welcome,” the girl replied hollowly after a pause.

Old Ma Demy shook her head as she laughed, “Well then you’re a fool, as much as you’re a wonder.”

The old woman beckoned Sasha back into the house. The girl looked over her shoulder at the darkening sky beyond and resigned herself to returning. As she stepped through the door it became apparent that there had been words of warning given to all not to pry. But it is hard to tell a curious child not to gawk and stare and probe.

“Are you witch?” had escaped one of the younger children’s lips before her mother had even a moment’s thought to contain her.

Sasha looked down at the young girl as her mother began admonishing her and answered as truthfully as she could, “Not anymore.”

The questions could just have easily ended there, but at that the flood gates opened and all the children wanted to see more “magic”. By the time everyone had turned in, she had done every mundane trick she could muster, and endeared herself to the entire house hold. It had been too dark by then for Sasha and Ma Demy to return back to the hovel, so they were both invited to spend the night. Several of the boys offered to give up their beds to the travelers.

Sasha could hear there was much commotion trying to get the younger children to their various cottages and into bed. She was exhausted by the time they had all been put out for the night. She pulled herself into bed as Ma Demy went through a meticulous night time ritual.

“You made quite an impression, I think,” she said as she climbed under the covers. Sasha just smiled as the old woman blew out the candle beside the cot.