Escape from the Witch Hunters
Chapter 19

Ryia’s heart started beating twice as fast. Stop Ryia, stop. He probably isn’t even talking about you, she closed her eyes for a bit, then opened them again. But what if he is?

“It was awhile back,” Gillian started and Ryia felt her hopes wither and die, “I was young and immature.”

He paused for a minute, and Ryia was about to speak up when he started up again. “Her name was Chloe, and she was blonde. More blonde than you.” he held a bit of her hair in his hand, then realized what he was doing and let it through his fingers. “She had the prettiest blue eyes that you could have ever seen. And she was a few inches shorter than me.”

Ryia looked up at him sadly. Stupid, Ryia. Really stupid, it hurt her to think that he thought another girl, besides herself, was pretty. She almost banged her head on the bedpost. You’re such a jealous little girl, she rolled her eyes at her own pettiness.

“I was entranced by her beauty the first time I saw her. I was about seventeen then, I was just beginning to experience the delights, or horrors, of love.” he sighed. “I was one of the boys that wanted to be with her for the rest of my life. I mean, my Father married someone as beautiful as my Mother. Why should I be any different? I looked just like my father.”

He chuckled almost bitterly. “She was nice to me. She acted very normal, and one day I got what I wanted. She chose me. We were together.”

Ryia felt her matted lashes getting wet again. She hated Chloe already. She knew she shouldn’t. But she did.

“I was happy beyond measure.” he continued. “Then one day,” Gillian paused. Do I tell her? he hung his head. I don’t want to. But she deserves to know, “I told her a bit more about myself, and I happened to mention a curse.”

He studied Ryia’s face for a reaction. Her eyes widened. He didn’t say anything. “Well what happened?” she prodded.

“After my mother died, my father turned into a drunk. He would beat me. He would talk bad about me.” he flinched, as if remembering his father. “One day, he was angry because I took away his bottles of whiskey. So he cursed me. Me and my future wife.”

Ryia gasped. “How horrible!” she rested her head on his shoulder.

Gillian nodded, almost glad that Ryia didn’t run away from him. “So I told that to Chloe. And she left.”

Ryia knew that she should be sorry for him. But she was glad that Chloe had left him. “I’m sorry.” she forced. Yes, she was sorry that he lost someone dear to him. But she wasn’t sorry that it was Chloe that left.

“Don’t be.” he looked down at her. “I later found out that Mr. Callaway told her about my inheritance before she even chose me.”

Ryia frowned. “That despicable girl! Why she’s just a-” the stopped talking and started to blush. “I’m sorry. Keep going.”

Gillian almost let himself smile. “After she left me, I became a recluse and stayed in my cabin most of the time, and I only went to the village to get supplies. I saw her a few times after that. But then I learned that she had married a rich lord.” he huffed. “Typical of people like her. And I hated her for it. I hated girls for it. Every single girl, to me, was the equivalent of the Evil One himself.”

Ryia didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to know what he thought of her. It was likely going to be as bad as hearing about Chloe.

“But then I met you.” her head snapped up and his blue eyes bore into hers. “My faith in girls is almost restored.”

Gillian paused. You’re cursed. You have a curse. Don’t drag her into it.

“You’re so nice, you could be my little sister.” he fluffed her hair to lighten the mood, then realizing he might get more lice on his hands, he brushed it off on his pants. Sister, my foot! She’s about the last person on earth that I’d want for a sister! That was the dumbest excuse in the history of excuses.

While Gillian was thinking to himself, he didn’t notice the spark that left Ryia’s eyes, the deflated look that shadowed her face, the dejected position her body sagged into.

A sister? Ryia mustered all of her willpower to not break down in front of Gillian. This day just keeps getting worse and worse!

“Goodnight.” Ryia turned away from Gillian and buried her head in her pillow, not minding the little bug friends that might have been sharing it with her.

Gillian looked down at her. “Goodnight?” he gave her a puzzled look. It wasn’t even dark out. He shook his head.

That tired, huh? he sighed and stood up, leaving the bedroom.

He had entered the room with the intent of making the situation better. Now he felt exhausted and void.

“Gillian?” Maria looked up from her concoction. “I have the stuff all ready.”

Gillian sniffed. It smelled absolutely horrid. “What is that stuff?”

“It’s something I made to get rid of lice.” she stood up. “Now get over here so we can start.”

Gillian wrinkled his nose. “No. It smells bad.”

“Would you rather have lice forever?” she looked at him pointedly. “We’ll cut your hair first anyway.”

Gillian frowned for a minute. And then pouted. “Fine.”

“That’s better.” she smiled, almost evilly.

Ryia heard Gillian’s encounter with Maria and hugged the pillow again. I don’t want to cut my hair!

I don’t want to do anything. I just want to go back to when I was with Mother and didn’t have any problems. she let out her lower lip, I wish I had never met Gillian. All of my problems started when I met him.

She blew her nose on a hanky.

But you also discovered many things when you met him. You learned what it was like to have your heart stop beating just because he was looking at you. You learned what it was like to forget everything around you. You learned what it was like to love.

Ryia shot up in her bed. I did not just think that. I couldn’t have. I don’t! I don’t! I don’t! I do not love him, she frowned. “I don’t know anymore.”

“Done!” Maria beamed.

Gillian felt his head. “I’m practically bald!”

“No you aren’t!” she whacked the back of his head. “You look fine. Now go see if Ryia is feeling up to getting her hair done.”

“I don’t want to do that!” he scrunched his nose but got up and into bedroom.

He opened the door and saw Ryia still lying in bed. “Ryia? You awake? Maria’s ready to treat you, if you’re ready..”

She rolled over, frowning. “Alright.” her eyes skimmed over his hair, she paused for a minute just staring, then she swung her feet onto the floor and stood up. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Okay.” Gillian nodded and headed out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Ryia came out soon after, dragging her feet.

If someone had to guess why she was looking like that, they might have said that she was about to be buried alive.

“I’m ready, Maria.” she sat down on the chair that was sitting in the grass. There was dark hair, presumably Gillian’s, already surrounding the chair.

Maria covered most of Ryia’s body with a sheet and got out a knife. “Here goes nothing. Or everthing. I’m going to try and keep some of your hair, but no guarantees.”

She started chopping of Ryia’s long hair off at the shoulder.

Gillian left, unable to bear seeing Ryia getting her hair cut off.

At least she isn’t getting it all cut off, he felt his short hair, not like my bald head.

Although he knew that for a girl, it would be much different. It would be like him becoming short like Ryia. Or something.

He walked out front and looked out into the woods. Funny. It looks like two horses are riding through the woods.

He kept looking. Those are two horses.

“Two horses.” his eyes widened. “Oh no.”

He went running to the back of the Jolly’s house. “Maria! Officers! Quick get inside! Hurry!” he grabbed Ryia’s hand and dragged her inside, opened the cupboard and shoved her down into the secret hatch, following her close behind and closed the door behind himself.

There were steep steps leading down underground, dirt walls surrounding them.

“I wonder if there are any candles in here.” Gillian mused and tried to make out the dark shapes.

Ryia huddled down on the ground, holding her knees to her chest. “Were there really those men coming?”

“I think so.” Gillian struggled trying to light a candle.

Finally a flame leaped to life, illuminating the small dank room. “There we go.”

He scooted back next to Ryia, bringing the candle with him.

They sat in silence, waiting for the storm to strike.

Footsteps could be heard from above and muffled voices resounding down into the underground hideout. “Have you seen two people, one girl, one boy-” Gillian scoffed at that, “-the girl has a blue eye and a green one. She almost wiped out a whole village, and she’s wanted for sorcery.”

Gillian could hear Ryia’s breathing get faster.

“We saw two young travelers go by here a few days ago.” Maria’s voice could be heard.

“Do you know where they were headed?” one of the officers asked.

“They stopped for a meal, and they said that they were headed towards the sea. But other than that, I don’t know where they’d be heading.” Maria informed them.

Gillian put an arm around Ryia reassuringly.

“Oh really?” someone started banging on the wooden floor. He stopped right above Ryia and Gillian. “Is there empty space down there?”

Maria didn’t answer.

“We use it to store our uh, things.” Markus answered.

“Then you won’t mind if we take a peek?” the officer asked mischievously.

“It’s been locked up for so long it must stink something bad.” Markus fabricated.

“Oh, we don’t mind. Do we Carl?” the first officer asked.

“Of course we don’t mind.” Carl answered. “So, you can go ahead and open it up.”

“R-right away.” Markus stuttered.

Gillian looked at Ryia in horror for a moment, then quickly blew out the candle. Sending darkness throughout the room.

“Help us, Father.” Gillian muttered.