The Witch Warrior Chronicles By L.M Townsend Part One: Ghost Writer Emmeline Cassidy looked over to the shadowy corner from behind the bar of her tavern, The Witch’s Brew. Yep, she was there, just as she had been every night, sitting solemnly in the corner. Other patrons avoided that particular table. It was her spot, and Em didn’t begrudge it to her - god knew the poor thing had been here so long she deserved her own spot. Em wiped off the bar, emptied the ashtray in front of her, then smiled and took the order of the next customer, temporarily distracted from the lone figure in the shadows. Em glanced back periodically throughout the night, as always, wondering what she was thinking and why she was there. Em often wondered if any of her patrons could see the ghost, or was that just her right as owner. Em both loved and hated this tavern. Her father had left it to her when he passed on and it became her livelihood. She was small in stature with long silvery hair she wore in a bun, and years of hefting kegs of beer had left her well muscled. As many an unruly patron had discovered with dismay over the years. She had keeping this tavern for so long, it seemed it was all she knew. But … there was a part of her which longed to simply walk away and start a new life. Em had seen the ghost - and others - here in the Tavern all her life. She could almost hear the spirit's thoughts, mirroring her own. So many faces, so many different stories. I’ve grown tired of listening to their woes of unhappy lives outside this place. Em sighed, scanning the many familiar faces. Em knew everyone in the little town of Goldstone. Most of the people in this place had lived here all their lives; their families had been here for generations. One by one, they had made their way into the tavern at one time or another. All the dirty little secrets, the heartaches, the triumphs, the prejudices - Em was probably the most informed person in the town, but never let on what she knew. The centre table was filling with what looked like a celebration. Em looked and saw they were from the Colton Publishing firm. Foxworth Colton was a canny businessman and his publishing house had recently expanded to encompass the acquisition and sale of rare antique manuscripts. Em assumed the women at the table were there to celebrate. They had a feeling of festiveness about them, though they held an expectant air, as if waiting for someone. Celine reluctantly stepped through the door of the tavern, shivering in the autumn wind. She took the coat off her petite frame and shook her blonde hair down to drape her back. She hadn’t wanted to go out at all tonight, but the "girls" at the small publishing company where she worked as a translator for foreign manuscripts had wanted to celebrate some of the girls having birthdays in October and Celine was one of them. Celine wanted to just go home, yet gossip was rampant in this small New England town and she couldn’t afford to put them off anymore- especially when one of her co-workers was the boss’s daughter. Only on the job in her daddy’s company for a month and already Amanda Colton had been asking the others about Celine. Unfortunately, Celine did not play the politics game. She went to work, did her job - and did it well - and went home, keeping her personal life personal. Dreading the grilling she knew she would receive about boyfriends and the subsequent "matchmaking" game she knew she would endure this night, Celine smiled to herself. Ah, if they only knew … she thought. Em watched Celine enter the tavern. Now there's a face I haven't seen in a long while. She thought, Celine Howe. Em knew Celine's father, in fact they had gone to school together. Jason was a really nice guy. He was so devoted to Susan-what was her last name? Em scratched her head trying to recall, well it eventually became Howe. Susan was a real beauty and Em could see how Celine took after her mother. It must have been so hard for Celine to grow-up without her, and her father, poor thing, he was so young when he died. Em watched Celine hesitate at the doorway. She followed Celine's gaze to the corner. She saw the ghostly woman stand up and walk toward the young blonde. I wonder if she could see her too. Em decided to keep an eye Celine and the ghost. Celine's bright green eyes were drawn to a shadowy corner. She felt a slight chill, raising goosebumps along both of her arms. She saw nothing there, however, and dismissed the sensation as the residual chill of the night air. In the shadowy corner another felt her fleeting glance and was startled. Something like hope sprung up from the one who sat at that table. No one has ever looked at her before and she was certain that young woman who had such a familiarity about her was seeing her. The ghost stood up needing to find out for sure. Celine stood there for a moment longer gathering her courage - and patience - to approach the table where she saw her co-workers, already gathered and seemingly many drinks into inebriation. Again, she felt the sensation of a chill and again her eyes were pulled in the direction of the darkened corner. Celine frowned, wondering what was happening. She searched for the cause, allowing her gaze to wander to the empty table in the dimmest corner of the Tavern, feeling someone watching her, but not seeing anyone there. A woman at the centre table stood and spoke up. "Celine?" Celine struggled with the impulse to turn and go back out the door. Instead, she planted a false smile on her lovely face and walked up to the noisy group at the table. Celine sat down next to Amanda who had been saving her a seat. Celine felt a bit awkward with Amanda, it was obvious the way Amanda hinted at her desire to be more than just co-workers with the blonde. But the last thing she wanted to do was get close to anyone at work, especially her boss's daughter. She couldn't imagine letting anyone from work into her personal life, in this small town eventually word would get out, especially the way Amanda gossiped. It seemed hours to Celine before she could politely stand and make her farewells. "It's getting late," she said to everyone and no one. "I have to get going." "Awe do you have to go?" Amanda pouted, as she twisted a piece of her auburn hair around her finger. "Stay for a while longer," blue eyes pleading. Celine shook her head no, then said her good-byes and put on her coat, politely declining the pleas to continue the party for a bit longer. Celine turned her head and looked into the shadowy corner again, but whatever had caused the eerie feeling before seemed to be gone now. She turned towards the door and was hit full force by the unseen entity. Her green eyes glazed over and she could "see" the shimmering outline of a woman about her age. Celine nodded in acknowledgement - "everyone" knew The Witch’s Brew was haunted - it was one of the old town legends and one that its owner, Mrs. Cassidy capitalised upon shamelessly. Celine had no fear of ghosts or spirits - she had seen and felt them all her life, some more clearly than others. Apparently this was one of the stronger ones. With relief, Celine smiled at the shimmery being and nodded again. It must be so lonely, she thought. I wish there was something I could do to help her - she looks so sad … The spirit looked surprised. She seemed to reach out to Celine and Celine started to put out her hand to the ghost, then remembered the women behind her. She smiled again, apologetically then glanced towards the door, asking to pass by, hoping the ghost understood her unspoken request. The spirit hoped for something else. "Celine are you okay?" Amanda asked. Celine rolled her eyes, then turned and shook her head slightly, shaking off the trance-like state she had felt herself falling into. "Yeah, yeah, sorry," Celine said. "I’ll see you all on Monday." She turned and walked to the door, feeling the chill return and stay with her. It felt even colder than the pre-winter air outside. Unable to shake it off, Celine pulled her coat tighter and got in her car. She turned up the car heater all the way and began the drive home, unaware that she was not alone. = Celine arrived home and the first thing she did was turn on the computer. She then took off her coat and turned up the heat in the small apartment while she waited for the computer to warm up. A black cat came running out of the bedroom, meowing and chirping her greeting. "Galinthias," Celine said, delighted, as she bent and picked up the cat, cuddling her feline companion. Galinthias twisted her lithe body to be put back down, then ran to her empty dishes on the kitchen floor, meowing her displeasure. Celine chuckled and shook her head. "Okay, okay, I’m sorry - but I had to go," she said, following the cat into the kitchen and opening the cupboard. She shook some dry cat food into a dish. "Believe me, I didn’t want to - but if you want to continue to be kept in the style to which you think you deserve to become accustomed, then I have to keep this job. And that means doing stupid crap like tonight sometimes." Her dish full, Galinthias turned to eat, ignoring Celine’s explanation for her long absence. Celine smiled fondly at the cat and went to the other room, turning down the thermostat on her way. She still felt a little chilled, but nothing like she had at the "Brew" that evening. Shaking her head, Celine thought about what she had seen there, the image already fading to the back of her mind. She sat in front of the computer and signed on to the internet. "Come on, Raven, please be on," she said, softly. She remembered when she and Raven first met. Celine’s employer, Mr. Colton had taken possession of some rare old manuscripts with thoughts towards auctioning them off. There had been some concer...
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