Witch Zanthia's Little Shop Of Horrors

The group advanced through the sidewalks, as one of the many groups of passers-by who chatted as they walked that afternoon towards the center of the city. It was composed by a young but beautiful witch, neatly arranged, and 3 cute felines.

People watched them go by, enchanted by the beauty of the young woman and occasionally stopped to admire the tenderness of the cute p.u.s.s.ycats and the dignity of the majestic black cat.

But the young woman and the felines had no interest in socializing, because a while before they had suffered an incident that had altered their initial good humor. A humiliating incident, during which the most powerful member of their elite group had been, unexpectedly, put out of action in just a few seconds.

Summary of the "Orange Incident" (Classified Information - Top Secret)

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The fearsome attacker: a kid.

The chosen weapon: oranges. Lots of them.

The tactic: a suicide attack in the Kamikaze style.

The victim: the powerful and renowned Zanthia Fateweaver.

Collateral damage: the fragile tail of a white p.u.s.s.ycat.

Material damages: The stall of a poor fruit seller.

Efficiency of the operation: 120%.

End of Report – Note: Burn after Reading.

To make matters worse, it had been in front of innumerable witnesses, too many to kill them all and, in doing so, to silence any rumor of the so-called "Orange Incident".

So the witch and the felines did what any self-respecting VIP would have done in that situation.

Ignore everything.

The Orange incident never existed.

The four members of the group respected the tacit agreement and rushed to leave the scene, as if they were theater´s extras disappearing backstage once their part was over. They moved away quickly and stealthily, in a way that would have been the envy of the best trained ninja.

But now, sometime later and at a prudent distance from the location of the incident, someone dared to break the pact of silence and bring the shameful past into the light of day.

A grey cat talked.

"Is it really good that we have run in that way and left that girl alone with those people?" Shadow raised the uneasiness that had been in her mind for a few minutes.

"Maybe, maybe not. Why? Are you worried about what may be happening to that unknown girl? " said the witch.

"A little," admitted Shadow, who shook her head and looked back before continuing. "I don't trust those guards. I think we should have helped that little girl. "

"No, definitely not. That wicked girl stepped on my delicate tail! " Moon complained shaking her head and keeping the paws crossed over her c.h.e.s.t.

"Come on Moon! Do not exaggerate. It's not that bad either! " said Shadow.

"How was it not so bad? Look! You can still see the mark of their sandals! " replied the white p.u.s.s.ycat, displaying her tail as if it were irrefutable evidence.

"That is not fair. I'm not a combat cat, everyone knows that. My thing is magic. " pouted Moon.

"Yes, being a combat cat is not for anyone. It takes strength, endurance, audacity ... "the black cat boasted, raising his chin, standing out, sticking out his c.h.e.s.t and walking with redoubled majesty.

"What it takes are bulk muscles and an empty head like yours! Ins.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e Brutus! " snorted Moon, not at all impressed.

"Courage, skill, ability to fight ..." continued listing Little Sun, acting as if Moon had not said anything.

"I really think we should have done something ..." Shadow insisted.

"But I really did something! Picked up all those horrible oranges, didn't I? And I also fixed the stand of that poor fruit seller. How that woman cried! It was heart wrenching to watch her!" remembered Zanthia.

"Yes, Yes… You're wonderful, Little Sun, all of us already know it. Now, can we re-focus on what's important? Look! Look how my poor tail is ... " Moon said but nobody paid any attention to her rants.

"Talent, power, nobility ..." Little Sun kept talking with self-sufficiency.

"It is true. And besides, you cleaned the entire sidewalk and the adjacent street with your magic broom, "conceded Shadow while nodding her little head.

"I also have that. They even made me honorary mage of the White Tower for my enormous talent and power!" boasted Moon, before continuing with a tone not exempt from a certain disdain, "not as it happened to another cat, who instead of going to the test was quietly sleeping in the sun."

"Speed, wit, charisma ..." replied the black cat, giving a wink to the grumpy white p.u.s.s.ycat.

"What I do not understand is why you also cleaned the four subsequent blocks," Shadow added in a doubtful tone and directed the witch a questioning look with her clear eyes.

"He he… I just could not stand all that dirtiness and trash laying around the sidewalks. You know how I am, once I start it's hard for me to stop! " Zanthia justified herself, with a nervous giggling.

"I hate you! You know that? Sometimes I really hate you! " Moon snapped at Little Sun, teeth gnashing and eyes flaming.

"And humility, above all things. Right, Little Sun? "intervened Zanthia to settle the dispute that threatened to become endless.

"Of course, I am the humblest of all cats. The king of the humble! "

The witch and the p.u.s.s.ycats facepalmed themselves. Unperturbed, Little Sun went on the street, his c.h.e.s.t erect as befitted a feline of his category.

Luna snorted and turned away her white head to ignore him. The witch and the gray cat looked at each other and sighed. Then they moved forward, placing themselves in the middle of the group, making sure to separate Moon from Little Sun and giving her enough time to calm her unsteady emotions.

As Zanthia and the felines approached the center of the city, little by little, the appearance of business and the attitude of the people changed. There was a greater wealth. The people were better fed and therefore, happier.

It was also appreciated that the clothes were of better quality. There were more guards present. No obvious disturbances were happening and the thugs were forced to seek the shelter of darkness to commit their misdeeds. The stores were larger and could receive more customers.

Evidently, the imperial state had decided to use concentric circles in its design of the city. It was a practical city planning but also a very hierarchical one.

The most remote neighborhoods in the outskirts of the outer circle inhabited by the poorest people: the foreigners and the slaves, the unemployed and the sick, the criminals and henchmen, the factories with their workers, the farmers and the gatherers, the port with its sailors and porters, the taverns, bars and brothels, the low quality stables, the corrals with animals. Of course, the jail and the barracks were there, too.

Still in the outer circle but in a little better locations, with a bit more space and in cleaner conditions lived the contracted servants and maids, the small merchants, the artisans, the respectable shops and stores of all kinds, most churches and temples, and some officials and guards of minor category for important families or companies.

To one of these neighborhoods belonged the alley in which Zanthia´s little shop of horror was situated. The best houses here were the mansions of the Abercrombie trading Company for the foreigners or the recently arrived personnel.

In the neighborhoods adjacent to the outer circle but closer to the center of the city were the middle class. The number of plazas, squares, fountains and statues was higher here than in the poorer area and the roads were better maintained.

It was the neighborhood designed for the most successful merchants and officers, the homes for the guards and soldiers with license, the renowned professionals, the more prosperous businesses and guilds, and the mansions for the lower-ranking officials of the imperial state and the lowest positioned of the wealthy and important families.

Finally in the neighborhoods adjacent to the central circle lived the upper class. The rich, the most exclusive commercial establishments, the medium-ranking officials in the state apparatus, the teachers, the great magistrates, the sates of the highest positioned of the wealthy and important families, and the most outstanding and prestigious figures and the original nobility of the city.

In the most important neighborhood of all, the exact center of the city, were the most important buildings of the Empire; the Palace, the Cathedral, the Circle of the Alchemists, the White Tower of the Wizards and Magi.

Here lived the sages, the bishops, the great masters, the ambassadors of other nations, the most exalted generals, the rulers, the most important nobility and royalty of the empire and of course the emperor and his family.

Entry was completely forbidden to outsiders without a special permit. The highest walls of the city, manned by soldiers, protected this place. It was rumored that the inside of this circle was stunningly magnificent, with specially selected flora and fauna to represent the most beautiful places of the diverse nations of the empire and roads made of gold and precious gems.

During their leisure walk, the group intended to advance to the upper class neighborhood and join the celebrations in some of the squares. Then maybe they decided to enter a restaurant to try the specialties of the local cuisine.

However, as they walked, Zanthia could not help thinking about the kid. Shadow's words had brought the girl back to her mind and the sudden dispute between Moon and Little Sun had not succeeded in displacing her from her thoughts.

Zanthia did not believe, as many people did, that the fact that she was a little girl automatically converted her into a pure, good and helpless human being.

People tended to underestimate children because of their age but many of them had gone through all kinds of experiences, especially those who came from poor neighborhoods and lived on the street. After all, out there in the open, danger is a constant. Either you get strong enough or it kills you. All the vagabonds knew that.

Stealing, fighting, running away, deceiving, cheating and sometimes even killing were necessary tactics to survive. So if the girl had managed to live until now in the law of the jungle that prevailed in the street without a doubt she had its own resources.

In the same way, people also tended to underestimate women, the so-called weaker s.e.x. Little physical strength, hopelessly sentimental, utterly hysterical, dumb, unreliable and useless. All sorts of demeaning adjectives were assigned to women and very few persons asked themselves if it was really true. However, according to the legends of antiquity there were many women who had defeated men.

And of course, we must not forget the famous Hawks of the Stars who astutely used her beauty as a bargaining chip first to protect her principality and then to take control of the Abercrombie Company. All these women were just a few examples but there were many others that did similar things.

So in truth, underestimating that girl could bring many problems. And if someone thought this cannot be the truth, then that someone can go asking the men of the guard about it, who were utterly impotent to catch her and they would still be in pursuit if the girl had not unexpectedly decided to make this kamikaze attack against the proud heiress of the Fateweaver family.

Well, maybe it was not a true attack, really more like an accident, but the kid had succeeded in taking her out of action indeed. And how many beings could brag of something like that? Almost none. So, that have to count for something, right?

Yes, Zanthia Fateweaver never underestimated girls for the simple reason that she had been one. And she did not intend to forget the things she had been able to do in her childhood. For some reason the witch could not find, the girl reminded Zanthia of herself.

She gave the witch a feeling of strength and independence despite the hurried situation the kid was in. Maybe it was just her red hair like Zanthia´s or maybe it was the profound intensity of her gaze. Who knows?

Whatever it was, it was hard to forget that look, those green eyes like emerald. Interestingly enough, it also reminded her of another person with that exact eye color. A person who, despite having no more than twenty years was a recurring character of her fantasies since the day she met him. A young man, of good family, with a gentle countenance, blond hair like gold and the same green eyes like sparkling emeralds.

Henry Percy.

The girl had eyes equal to this man. But it could not be. Henry was too young to have a daughter of her age. And less than that, a ragged girl who lived on the street and was suspected of murder.

But if it was not his daughter, maybe it could be someone in his family? Perhaps some lost relative from a side branch?

No. The Percy family would not let their bloodline get lost in the streets that way. It must have been just a random thing. Be that as it may, it was a very curious coincidence. Yes, very curious.

Now that the witch's thoughts had gone in those directions, it was hard to stop thinking about Henry and his family. She knew quite a lot about the Percy, because of two reasons. First, unlike the Abercrombies, the Percy bloodline had given birth to a small number of witches before. And second, Roberto Gomez had also shared some information about them during his long exposition at the horror shop .

The Percy were one of the most important and famous clans of all the Empire although they were not part of the original natives of the Evergreen nation. In fact, in ancient times they had been part of their enemies.

In its origins, before the Scarlet Empire existed, there were two separate nations in the south of the continent called Evergreen and Neverwhite. Their rulers united in marriage and that was the birth of the empire.

The descendants of those rulers tried to expand first to the east and then to the south. The unification of the Empire, carried out by the former Emperor Borto IV, had been bathed in blood.

The nation located towards the east, a territory mainly swampy and with some forests, was so devastated by the wars that nobody remembered its original name. Now it received the name of Wildlands and its twin's capital cities, Shinbones and Skulls, were considered more a refuge for bandits than anything else.

But the nation located to the south, Greymountains, had a lot of mines. These were very rich in ores, metals and precious gems, and it had been this wealth that allowed its inhabitants to fight successfully against the Scarlet Empire for centuries.

In the end, at the time of Borto VII, an emperor known for his diplomatic policy, in a moment of brief truce, an honorable surrender was signed and finally Greymountains was annexed to the Empire.

As Zanthia recalled, the reason for this was that their rulers, the pragmatic merchant princes, had calculated that, after so much time of incessant struggle, to continue the state of war against the stubborn and aggressive imperialist's neighbors it caused to them more costs than benefits.

Desiring to avoid the horrible destiny of the Wildlands, they took advantage of the diplomatic policy of the relatively peaceful Borto VII to obtain certain privileges, including a special status, some commercial monopolies and the preservation of part of their political autonomy.

These concessions allowed the families of the nobility and the merchants to adapt easily to the new circ.u.mstances and integrate successfully into the nobility of the Scarlet Empire.

The Percy were one of those families, from the capital of Greymountains, a huge and rich city called Cester, so big and important as to compete in equal terms with the very Capital of the Empire.

And obviously, Henry and his odious sister Fiona were some of his most distinguished representatives. If it were otherwise, they would not be living in the Capital. No, undoubtedly Henry and Fiona belonged to the main branch of the Percy.

Zanthia did not know if she would see Fiona in another occasion but she definitely wanted to see Henry again. The young man looked very attractive in his tuxedo and also, the fact that he had a younger sister even more hateful than Zanthia's sister added extra points to his charm. At least there was no need to worry that they lacked topics to talk about.

The only problem was that Henry seemed too young to be with her, not so much in age as in experience. The witch suspected that the noble had never had a girlfriend. Well, being the first always has a special flavor.

Zanthia imagined herself in the delicate arms of Henry, after a wonderful foreplay during which the nobleman purchased every last item of her shop and she gave him the most bewitching of her smiles.

And so, absorbed in her daydreams and accompanied by the felines, Zanthia arrived at her destination. The Victory Square.