#spring 0

[imposter-witch]

Prologue

To the Witch Who Kindly Left Me All Her Things:

Your people are a real nosy bunch, huh? Here I was, thinking this nice secluded cottage out of the way of the major roads would be a great place to lie low for the night (or two... or three...), when all of a sudden, your village’s mother-henning, friendly constable shows up?!

Thankfully, you left a lot (and I mean this sincerely, a very suspicious amount) of notes regarding you, your profession, and how to do said profession. I, not wanting to spend my first night indoors in a while behind bars, very calmly and elegantly (if I do say so myself) introduce myself as the new village witch in place of dear, dear old late Malvina. That is a rather witchy name, by the way. Were you born into witchhood?

Anyway, I obviously didn’t let on that you were missing/dead. Sorry, love, I really don’t want to be potentially implicated in that. Just that you had sent me, your witch penpal (is that a thing? The constable definitely thinks so now, anyway), to fill your place while you go on a lovely adventure. The constable seemed to take the nonsense story with no suspicion whatsoever. Does your village see any crime at all?! In any case, I think I’ll be able to at least pretend my way through a few of these diagnoses with your, frankly, EXCESSIVE notes. I am not a witch, nor have I ever shown any capability towards being one, but the current ailments the constable was saying a few of the villagers have seem to be in your notes. I’ll just sneak out once the ailments get more difficult and find my way to the next secluded cottage.

Think of these letters to you as a sort of penance for me taking over your life for a bit. There are a lot of notes here, though, Malvina. Did you intend for someone to show up at your house and take over?! Should I be worried that an actual replacement witch will show up soon? Luckily, I’m really good at talking my way out of things, so we I should be okay if that happens.

Well, I should probably get ready for this sleep I so desperately wanted. I’m sure we’ll speak again soon.

- Juniper (Obviously not my real name, but I don’t think we’re close enough for that yet, love)

[trashydm]

Prologue

Dearest Rowena,

I hope you don't mind the familiarity, for I am your long lost cousin afterall. Or at least that's what I told that ruddy constable when he found me in your cottage just hoping to escape the rain and get a decent nights sleep. Apparently you've been missing for quite some time, cousin. I assured the dear Mr. Edgewood that you were doing fine, just preoccupied with family matters. You, of course, sent me to handle things in your absence. Sorry again for that, but if nothing else I can keep the place going for you until you return. Unless you've died, then I guess it's finders keepers.

The cottage is nice enough, if not a bit disorganised. How you managed to find anything in here Rowena is beyond me. Though I did manage to find some of your notes on the regions bounty of medical herbs as well as a decently filled out map.

The dear constable seemed to have no trouble with my moving in, didn't even find it suspicious I had not a thing with me other than the clothes on my back! Honestly, how can this man be a constable Rowena? This must be the sleepiest village in the empire! I can't imagine there will be too much trouble. I'm sure with your copious amount of books and notes I'll be able to bluff my way through this. I am not a witch, nor does my family have even a single drop of magic in our blood, but then again your people don't need to know that. I'll just move on once things get too hard. Is that what you did Rowena? I certainly hope not, though more for my own sake than yours.

I hope you'll forgive me for taking over your place, and your life. But there is quite a lot of information here that I'm certain you would have already known. Were you waiting for someone to come? Should I be expecting someone? That will be an interesting conversation should they ever arrive, but I am rather good at talking my way out of things.

Wherever you've wondered off to Rowena, I hope you are enjoying yourself. And take your time coming back, I quite like this little cottage you know.

-Constance Paine