It’s a winter day and it’s snowing. Snowing so gently, so silently, that no one even noticed it. People are at home, sitting in their houses. Giving their children presents and hope. In a very poor family, where there’s almost nothing to eat, a grandma’s thinking about what she should give to her granddaughter, as a present. The little girl comes close to her grandma and asks “Granny, you look worried. What are you thinking about?” The old woman smiles and answers: “You don’t need to worry about it. What would you like to get for Christmas?” “Tell me a story, please! That’s all that I need!” The grandma thinks for quite a while, and then she starts:
“Once upon a time, in the castle of Adiart, there was a young woman named Isabel. No one knew where she came from, nor did the King, nor did the guards, and nor did herself. Her beauty enchanted many nice man, even the King’s son fell in love with her beauty. But she didn’t want to marry anybody. Every time someone asked her to marry them, she declined their offer. Isabel found new ways to cure people’s wounds. Whenever someone was dying in the kingdom, they brought them to Isabel, who cured them. When the royal Physicians said that it was a deadly wound, Isabel said “it’s just a flesh wound”. Isabel’s life was perfect. Everyone loved and respected her, until a cold, dark, winter day.”
When the grandma said this, dark clouds covered the sky, and the wind started to blow. She continued:
“Isabel got asked by the king’s royal advisor to marry them. Isabel declined him too, so the old man swore revenge against her. He told the King that Isabel is a witch, and she has to burn for it. Burn to ashes. Soon the royal guards formed a mob with some villagers who didn’t know who Isabel was, and knocked on her door. She already ran away, since her friend old her about the conspiracy. The mob got angry, and told the Hunter that he has to find her, as soon as possible. Wolves ran into the forest, they tried to find the “Sorcerer”. Soon they found her scent and started chasing her. Isabel was running as fast as she could, but she was tired, cold, and hopeless. She tripped over a branch, and rolled down of snowy hill. She felt that her leg was broken.”
“Grandma! This story is getting scary!” - said the child. Granny just smiled and continued:
“Don’t be afraid darling, it wasn’t her destiny to die there. She opened her eyes, and looked up into the sky. Looked at the black clouds, and at the dead nature around here. Heard as the wolves were coming for her, and she wanted to surrender. She layed down into the snow, and waited. As the wolves were close, and she heard the Hunter’s voice, she felt something warm, close to her cape. She looked under her cape and she saw a book in the snow. “This isn’t mine!” - Said Isable, as she touched the black book. When her ice cold hand touched the book, the snowing stopped and a lightning came from the sky. The villagers got scared, the wolves ran to their master, and everything was silent. Behind the hill, came a woman, wearing a dark blue cape. In one of her hand a staff, in the other a book. She was smiling. The villagers and the guards ran away, only the Hunter dared to stay. Nor the Sorcerer, nor the Hunter, nor the guards were ever seen again. Some people who survived say, when Adiart will be weak, and the people lose their faith, a dark blue cape shall rise, and the Sorcerer will return.”
“Grandma… is this story true? Is Isabel truly a Sorcerer?”
She laughed when she heard this question, and her eyes turned dark purple.
I don’t know, my darling. But the only thing I know for sure is: that everybody will soon know the answer.