Chapter 47 - A Witch’s Customer

>>Yohan

The place I was heading to was quite far. It took me a few hours to reach it, moreover I had to park my car way outside the cafe I was going to visit since the streets were narrow.

I walked in the European style brick streets which were dyed with the orange hue of the setting sun. Since winter was upon us it would get dark in a matter of minutes. As I walked the lamps on the walls began to flicker to life, replacing the warm glow of the sun to some extent.

The streets were old but they were very smooth and clean. The houses were small in width but good in length. Usually the people who owned houses in this place had two-three story homes, some of which joined the house on the left side to the house on the right like an overhead tunnel.

It was fascinating to look at, having an apartment between the street yet high enough that any person could pass from under it. The balconies were small while some houses didn’t have them, instead they just had flowers arranged in the windowsill box.

When I reached the place I was looking for it had gotten dark but the lamps illuminated the streets quite well, as if they had a magical ambiance in them, the glow was soft yet warm.

I looked at the oval shop sign.

‘Cafe Milio’

It was a simple cozy cafe with a simple cozy theme of warmth. One table and chair was set outside if any customer wanted to sit in the open air.

I noticed a black cat with mismatched eyes walk by me, looking at me while it paced past.

I smiled at it and then went inside the cafe. The bell jingled when I opened the door but barely anyone looked at me.

The room was well lit and had a cozy feel to it. A few customers were sitting there even though the streets were pretty much empty.

The cafe had three floors.

First floor was for customers who simply wanted to enjoy their drink and some light pastries.

The second floor had shelves of books,placed in a manner of division, forming a small easy maze with soft chairs that allowed the customers to enjoy their time while drinking and reading in silence.

The third floor, the one I was looking for, was home to a fortune teller and witch, Milia. The owner, Milio’s, sister.

At the end of the stairs violet colored drapes hung messily with a sign on top.

‘Milia never lies’

I took a deep breath and lifted up the drapes from an opening and entered the room.

“Oh, we have a very special customer.” Milia spoke when I half entered her domain, “A prince has come to me.”

I didn’t pay much attention to her words and sat down on the seat across her. She wore a hood over her face so I could barely see what she looked like but she seemed young, well at least in witch years. The room was dimly lit with many mystical things present on the shelf behind her.

I looked down at the crystal ball on the table between us.

“Want me to tell you your fortune? She placed her hand on the tarot cards Your future? She placed her other hand on the crystal ball.

“No,” I answered her, “I need something else.”

“Oh? I see you’re troubled.” Her apple red lips curled up as she smirked.

“I need an amulet, a charm maybe, something that’ll help me detect enemies.”

“Hmm?” She leaned back, “That’s all you came for?” She stood up, “I’m sad.” She looked at the shelf behind her, pointing her finger at things that moved along with her gaze but in the end she couldn’t find what she was looking for there. Then, she looked back at me, “Are you really sure that’s all you came here for?”

“That’s all.” I answered and she seemed visibly disappointed. Nonetheless she walked past the shelf, into the corner, from where she lifted the curtains and went somewhere.

I was guessing it was her room since the whole floor wasn’t being used as her place of work, just some portion.

While I waited for her a crow entered the room through the quarter open tinted window.

A familiar.

I recognized it immediately since the crow had a magic leash on it.

Milia’s familiar was a crow? I thought it was the cat I saw outside the cafe. Perhaps the cat belongs to another?

Most witches keep cats as familiars, since cats can move around efficiently in many places. Some keep dogs, Rarely do witches keep crows as familiars but still, it was nice to see one.

The crow looked at me and titled its head. Then flew to the table in front of me and sat on top of the crystal ball. It then did something surprising.

It flapped its wings and left them open, then bowed.

A gesture of respect and greeting to a superior being.

Wow.

That’s one hell of a polite pet.

Not what I’d expect from a witch’s familiar.

“You can go.” I told it and it closed its wings and raised its head but stared at me for a while, then cawed at me. Unfortunately I couldn’t understand what it was thinking or saying since I didn’t have any magical abilities. “Sorry buddy, I have no idea what you’re saying.” After hearing my answer it flapped its wings and flew into the room Milia went in.

A little while later Milia came back in with a lapis colored charm in the shape of a star.

“Here.” She placed it on the table, “That will help.” Her voice was unenthusiastic compared to before, “If you need to draw out more power from it you can break it, but that will work only once.” She leaned in closer, “After which you’ll lose the whole power of it.’

I nodded, “Thank you.” I stood up to leave.

“How do I pay for it?”

“On the first floor counter, you’ll find Milio.” I nodded and turned to leave when I saw the crystal glow behind me. “Oh my!” I was going to ignore it but Milia stopped me, “You should have your fortune read darling.” The enthusiasm was back in her voice, “I see something very painfully interesting in here.”

I sighed, “I’m fine.” I began to walk again and lifted the drapes to exit the place when she spoke again.

“Patience.” She said and I stopped in my path and glanced back, “A word of advice from a nice witch.” She grinned, “You’ll be needing a century’s worth of patience for the pain you’ll receive but if you endure. All shall be yours.” She raised her head a bit and I was able to catch a glimpse of her eyes.

She was blind.

***

When I reached the first floor I looked around for the owner, Milio. I didn’t sense any magic from this floor so I thought maybe he wasn’t there. That’s when a cat entered the cafe. The bell jingled and I looked at the door.

It was that same black I saw before, it casually walked across the room, jumped on the counter and then onto the shoulders of the man behind it.

I looked at him and it suddenly hit me.

Oh.

That must be Milio.

So that cat is Milio’s familiar. I should have known, they both have the same condition of heterochromia. One of their eyes was blue while the other was brown.

Milio had his hands joined in front of him and he smiled at me when I looked at him.

He had an amicable aura. Small amount of magic but the cafe was filled with his ambiance. No Wonder I couldn’t sense anything. It was all around me, nothing special or unique.

Just in small amounts to attract the customers in, something that blends in with the environment very nicely.

It’s rare to have witches and wizards in the human world but I guess I know why they're here. Milio barely has any magic. This is why this pair of siblings came to the human world where they can make use of their abilities.

But most of all, I looked at the owner as he poured the coffee for one of the customers, he seemed happy here.

I guess, that’s all that really matters.

That’s what I want.

But,

Milia’s words keep resonating in my mind.

Like they hold the truth no one wants.

Note: Milio didn’t have much magic, the little magic he had, he used it and spread it all around the cafe to create an ambiance. This attracts customers to the cafe.

Milia is blind, she can not see things in their original form but it does not mean she can’t see things at all. She is able to see the energy of everything, living or not.

And in her mind, she has a clear image of everything.

Familiars are animals (some say animal-shaped spirits) that serve a witch in various ways, whether as servants, messengers or even spies