3.Shadows

         The lady clad in black frowned at the sound of wings flapping.

It would be Cara,she thought.A mere puppet in her hands he was,but then again,he had once proved himself to be useful.Exactly once.Truthfully,she was tiring of him.In many ways.For one,he talked too much.Then,he had the horrible habit of coming in through the chimney.Spreading soot all over the place.

Well,she could easily get a human to do the cleaning and filty work,but involved her having to venture out of her castle. And she didn't want to do that yet.Not before the spell was complete.

"Mistress", Cara crowed.

..And then,there was the whole having to switch into alternate languages business..Just to think of the sheer ignominy.. Reduced to having to speak Bird.She shook her head.

If only He had stayed by her and accepted her offer to rule worlds with her.She had promised  Him Everything.. immeasurable wealth,eternal youth,possession of boundless stretches of land,a million attenders to cater to even the smallest of His desires,power...everything that He  could possibly want.

But..He had rejected it all.Spurned her offer.. for a common rustic girl and two children.Three mortals..who could give Him nothing like what she had to offer.It was always a puzzle for her,what He saw in them..And yet,He had turned against her.

It was impossible to fight Him without her becoming stronger,but she had had part of her revenge.Her eyes gleamed as she basked in the memory of the screams of pure agony that had risen from the burning cottage,that day.

Well,she had offered..not once,but twice.Now perhaps,He'd see the light..now that the foolish girl was gone.

Cara's crowing shook her out of her thoughts.

"What do you have for me,servant?Does she seem to remember anything?Did you see anything unusual?"

"Nothing, Mistress,nothing but-"

"Then get out of my sight,vermin",she said,her voice low and deadly now.

Yet,Cara remained.

"Mistress,I think she was looking a bit too keenly at me."

"You piece of filth..haven't I told you to stay in the shadows? She was never supposed to see you..she was never supposed to see anything that might remind her of her past."

"But Mistress, I thought I could get a better view if I went a bit closer"

"I'm done with you."

"But-"

The lady in black pointed a,finger at Cara and moved her lips yet again.But this time the something that was uttered wasn't Bird.

The little boy who had foolishly ventured into the castle grounds outside,in the hope of finding mushrooms dropped his basket and ran screaming with a voice that he no longer possessed.

                                ***