The Devil's Cursed Witch

High Elder Leeora could only shake her head at the departure of the King. The old lady took efforts to kneel next to the bed and look at the human girl who was hiding under the wooden frame. The girl had a small slender body that made her look as if she had been leading an extremely poor life since young. After Draven had left the guest room, the human girl had a less hostile reaction, but from her stiff body, it looked like she remained wary of the new person studying at her.

She was lying on her sides, curled into a ball under the bed with her arms wrapped around her knees, her delicate legs covered by a long white dress and her face buried in her arms. The rest of her small face was hidden by her long mahogany hair.

“Young lady, would you like to come out? I am sure it’s very uncomfortable under the bed,” Leeora said as she offered her hand to her. Her voice was soft and her tone gentle as she tried to coax the human girl. “I know you must be scared to find yourself in an unfamiliar place, but trust me, you are safe here.”

Still, there was no reply from her. Leeora was a patient woman so she didn’t mind the lack of reaction. On the contrary, she was relieved that she didn’t get bitten like Draven.

“Hmm,” she pondered for a while. “Would you like to see magic, young lady?”

The word ‘magic’ did wonder. The human girl lifted her head a little, just enough to take a peek at the elf from the safety of her arms.

Leeora smiled lightly. ‘She seems to have calmed down.’

The elf slightly pulled back the hand she put under the bed. Afterwards, she made a snatching gesture in the air and her hands emitted mild rays of light which turned into tiny images of silver butterflies which flew like real living creatures across the room.

She heard a very soft gasp of awe coming from the human girl under the bed.

“If you come out, you can see them better,” Leeroa said in a kind voice as she offered that girl her hand once more.

The elf only had to wait for several seconds this time. A delicate hand covered in bandages was placed in Leeora’s warm and wrinkly hand. Slowly, hesitantly, the human girl came out from under the bed and stood up with the help of Leeora.

The moment the human girl straightened herself, the elf realized that the human was taller than what she imagined. It made Leeora torn between deciding if she was a tall young girl or a small young woman.

In contrast to the elf’s confused face, the human had a look of wonder as she raised her head to follow those silver butterflies lively flying around the room.

Under the soft glow of the silver butterflies, Leeora could clearly see the fine facial features of the human girl holding hands with her. A fair delicate skin, an adorably tiny nose, lips like the petals of a rose and large almond-shaped eyes that reminded the elf of the fresh colour of spring.

‘What a beautiful child,’ the old elf exclaimed in appreciation, ‘but…what kind of beast dared hurt her so?’

The human girl’s face had tiny bruises on it, and the bits of skin seen under her dress had many scars and scratches on them. She was incredibly skinny, as if she hadn’t had a decent meal for years, making her look smaller and frailer than her actual age. The long white dress was loose on her thin body, and though the length of the dress fit her height, the collar and sleeves hung limply around her thin shoulders.

“Do you like it?” Leeora asked but her question was left unanswered. The human girl merely stretched out her hands as if tracing the flight taken by the silver butterflies.

However, the elf elder didn’t give up. “I am Leeora. May I know your name, young lady?”

In response to the elf’s attempt of starting a conversation, she retreated from her, pulling back her hands towards her body and stopped playing with the butterflies. She stood still, looking warily at the elf.

Leeora understood she didn’t wish to tell her name and didn’t insist on it.

“I am sure you are hungry. Would you like to eat something?” Leeora asked.

The girl didn’t react but Leeora still ordered, “Someone, bring a nice hot meal for the young lady.”

“Yes, High Elder,” one trembling voice responded from beyond the door.

The palace servants were efficient. Food was already prepared by the kitchen to feed the human girl that the King brought back, and the only issue was that the moment the female servants entered the room earlier, they were attacked with hostility, causing them to flee in panic. The servants were calmer now in the presence of a high-ranking elf. It didn’t even take a minute for the servant to bring the meal to the guest room.

“High Elder.” She bowed in front of the old elf.

Seeing a new person enter the room, the human girl stepped back towards the bed, her expression torn between fear and suspicion.

“Put it there,” Leeora instructed, gesturing towards the table in the room.

The servant left as soon as she put the wooden food tray on the table.

Leeora then turned towards the girl on the bed. “Do you smell that? I can smell it even from here. I can smell meat, and there’s even freshly baked bread,” Leeora commented.

The human girl gulped. She was starving and wished to eat after smelling the appetizing aroma of the food, but she remained in her position as she eyed the old elf and the door.

Leeora understood the human girl’s situation. That kind of vigilance was a given, especially since she found herself in a strange environment and among unfamiliar people. The elf elder decided to let her eat in peace.

“I will leave you to have your food. Have a good meal, young lady.”

The moment Leeora stepped out and closed the door behind her, the human girl hurried towards the table in the centre of the room. She didn’t even bother to sit on the chair. She grabbed the first plate within her reach and sat on the floor, eating with her hands as if she had not tasted decent food for ages.

Leeora saw the unbecoming sight from the little gap left between the door and the door frame and smiled with relief that this poor terrified girl at least agreed to eat.