Hello everyone. I'm back!

Gosh, 6 months have passed since the last update. I'm so sorry. But most importantly, how are you all? This coronavirus pandemic struck so unexpectedly. I hope you're all safe and healthy! Quarantine makes me think a lot... Maybe a bit too much.

This chapter was originally going to be very long, but I've decided to split it in half again. I've also finally nailed down what I'm covering for each chapter (no more spontaneous idea, brain, you hear?) and so, this story will have 35 chapters in total. The word length will vary for each.

I hope you guys will enjoy this chapter! Stay home, and stay safe!

Charming and the Witch

Chapter 9: Can't we just talk?

She left with a pounding in her head and a viselike tightness in her chest.

And failed to notice the neon orb trailing after her.

〜∗〜∗〜 Charming and The Witch 〜∗〜∗

Roxas had viewed the witch as anything but friendly, and with good reason.

She had planned to imprison both him and his godmother, threatened to murder his townspeople, divided his family, snapped at him to leave her alone, then intimidated him into agreeing not to enter any locked room, especially her bedchamber and study.

But yet…

Roxas remained kneeling in the shadows, counting the seconds in his head after the witch left the moonlit clearing. He glanced over to the forlorn-looking rose, whose stem was slumped and leaves clasped together.

Once the seconds reached two minutes, Roxas scurried out from the darkness and back to the route leading to the clearing. As he brushed any stray leaves from his hair, Roxas debated on his next action: to leave or confront Marluxia. Ultimately, he chose the latter. With a silent deep breath, he turned and walked into the clearing, acting as if he had just arrived. "Marluxia," Roxas greeted with a smile, hoping he looked innocent enough in the gardener's eyes. "Good evening. Are you here to stargaze too?"

Marluxia released his leafy hands and turned to him, returning a polite smile of his own. "Good evening to you too, Roxas. And no. I just happened to pass by."

"I see. Do feel free to join me though; I don't mind having company."

"Thank you for the invitation. However, I should prepare for rest. Please enjoy your stargazing and refrain from staying here till late. Have a good night's rest, Roxas." Marluxia gave him a bow and turned to leave.

Panic seized the blonde and he surged forward without a second thought, pulling the massive rose by a leaf. "Wait! Marluxia!" The giant rose jerked to a stop, a look of surprise and confusion on his face as he looked back at the shorter male. Roxas let go of him almost instantly, embarrassed by his sudden action. "Sorry! U–Um… On my way here, I thought I saw someone leaving. It was dark, and because of the plants, I couldn't see who it was. I was wondering if you know."

"Ah, that would be Mistress."

Roxas fought down a grin but couldn't repress the relief he felt from Marluxia's honesty. Maybe I can find something useful here. "The witch? I thought she stayed in her room?" Roxas continued his clueless act.

"Occasionally, Mistress would come down here to the conservatory," Marluxia said. "She is fond of nature — plants, trees, flowers make her happy."

"Really?" Roxas thought back to the scene earlier, the witch lifted her head skyward, her posture relaxed. Could she have been stargazing earlier? "… I wouldn't have guessed," Roxas admitted.

After thanking Marluxia and bidding him goodnight, Roxas settled onto one of the iron benches, staring up to the expansive sky dotted with bright stars and constellations. It was beautiful.

For the moment, he stayed still, relishing the silence and tranquility that the hectic kitchen and lively dining room did not provide. He had nothing against the energies the aforementioned rooms produced; the contrast in the garden allows him to unwind and sort through his thoughts. Plus, in the silence, when he closed his eyes, he could easily imagine himself back home, sitting out on the yard. And if he tried just enough, he could hear their voices behind the walls. The door would soon creak open; the talking increased in volume as she called him back in.

Roxas opened his eyes, feeling a sting behind them. No… Come on, Roxas. You're over it. Over it, over it, over it.

Yet, the stinging continued, and it only seemed to get worse with every passing second. Roxas breathed out shakily and scraped a hand over his face as he sat up, getting back on his feet. He had to head back up. Now.

As Roxas hurried back to his room, he was glad no one was around.

Roxas woke up early the next morning with a dull, heavy headache. The previous night had been restless until the dosage took effect.

Even after his morning routine, he felt no improvement until he sat at the servants' sitting room table and poured himself a cup of sweetened tea. The warm drink seemed to help, albeit not as much as he had hoped. Maybe I should ask Kairi to heal me…

However, before he could scan the room for the pink-colored healer, a certain flame servant glided in and caught his attention.

"Roxas," Axel began, approaching their guest. "You're up early. I went to your room a moment ago and found it empty. Phew. You gave me quite a scare." He said with a grin. "With your odd sleeping behavior, I feared you fell asleep somewhere else in the castle."

"Morning to you too, Axel." Roxas let the harmless comment slide. He was too weary to have a friendly squabble, and he needed all the energy for kitchen duty later. "And you don't need to worry over me like I'm a helpless 5-year-old. I can look after myself just fine."

Axel snorted at his statement. "Geez. You two are the same. Keep saying you'll take care of yourself but clearly don't." The spirit leaned down to get a closer look at Roxas and continued, "It appeared you didn't sleep too well last night. Let me have someone fetch you a pot of green tea. Perhaps I should call for Kairi too? She can either give you one of those aromatic oils or heal you."

"Green tea will be enough, thanks," Roxas said before letting out a small yawn. Hadn't had any pleasant one since Aunt Yuffie's last visit.

As Roxas watched Axel ordered a ghost to fetch the tea, his groggy mind wandered back to what the flame servant said. "Hey, Axel?"

"Yeah?"

"What did you mean by 'you two'? Who were you talking about?"

"You and the Mistress, of course," Axel provided, his hands busy putting food onto a clean plate. "You both are alike in quite some ways, it's hilarious."

Roxas furrowed his brows. "You only know me for like… six days?"

"Seven, if you count the night you arrived. Here you go," Axel said and put the plate of food in front of the blonde. "Might be short, but so far so good."

Roxas continued to frown. The thought of being compared and have similarities with the Mother of Witchcraft was not a pleasant one. She was rude, cold, and an alleged king murderer. Definitely not someone you want to have things in common with.

But yet…

Roxas shook his head to clear his mind. He didn't want to think of the witch at the moment. "Thanks for the food," he mumbled then dug into his breakfast. The pot of green tea was soon placed onto the table, and Axel was long gone from the quarters. After finishing his meal, Roxas settled into a comfortable position, holding the cup of steaming tea in his hands as he watched the ghosts going about their day. The scene was oddly relaxing, and despite reminding himself he had to be alert around them, Roxas felt his eyes sagging shut.

He fought the drowsiness at first but eventually gave up and allowed his eyelids to close. A quick nap wouldn't hurt.

Roxas had no doubt he would have gotten hurt if he showed up for lunch preparation in a drowsy, sleepy state. Xaldin had made very clear that he doesn't tolerate laziness in his kitchen, and the fact his schedule was only lunch and dinner should provide him more than enough time to rest. Not to mention he was a prep cook. In cutting duty. Cutting meats and vegetables with knives of different shapes and sizes. Knives that were undeniably sharp enough to chop a finger right off.

He had never felt so glad for taking a nap as far as he can remember.

The lunch preparation ran with little to no issues, and it was time to move the dishes and tableware to the servants' dining room. As Roxas helped to place the meals onto the trays, he noticed an ornate food tray on one of the tables. Upon it were two plates and a bowl with food, albeit in a smaller portion. A way too small portion.

"Refia," Roxas called out to the female spirit who was about to carry the ornate tray away. "Sorry to stop you. But um… That's for the witch, right?"

A look of confusion was on the ghost's face as she nodded. "Uh, yes. Is something wrong?"

"No, no. I just… noticed how little food is on it."

"Oh. Mistress requested less food; she doesn't eat much," Refia said.

"But that's hardly half of a single serving!"

Refia gave him a slight smile, understanding what had troubled their guest. "We are aware. Mr. Faivre had tried to convince Mistress to eat more, but she insisted. There were days she didn't even finish them. Oh! I'm sorry to cut this short, Roxas, but I mustn't make Mistress wait for her lunch."

With an apologetic smile, Refia lifted the tray and headed towards the exit.

"Wait, Refia! Can you help me with something?"

The ghost stopped and looked at him over her shoulder; confusion marked her features once more. "Um… I guess I can. What would it be?"

"Can you pass a message to the witch for me? I want to meet her by the stairs after you delivered the food. It won't take long. I just want to ask her something."

"S-Sure. I can do that."

"Thanks, Refia."

The female ghost nodded back and went on her way. Refia had talked little with Roxas outside of their kitchen duties, but she enjoyed working with him for the past days, something other ghosts agreed too. There might be a few minor hiccups at the beginning, but he was a fast learner and adapted to how they operate in the space. He blended in so smoothly it felt as if he was a part of the team for years.

Refia couldn't help but smile as she ascended the stairs. Things were certainly much more different and interesting in the kitchen and servants' quarters since Roxas's arrival. Now, helping him to pass this message to the Mistress, Refia was confident the whole castle will never be the same.

What was I thinking?! Why did I say that?! Why am I digging my own grave?! She could throw me into the dungeon after this! Roxas frowned, running a hand through his hair as he fidgeted on his spot by the stairs, just a few feet away from the West Wing hallway. His legs were itching to pace around, wearing out the dusty old carpet, but he restrained himself. It wouldn't be good for the witch to see him like that. Best not to show any anxiety — any weaknesses.

"Calm down, you idiot," Roxas muttered, dropping his hands to his sides. Trying to appear calm and collected on the outside, he was incredibly aware of his insides quivering with a combination of fear and anticipation. What had he gotten himself into?!

M-Maybe… Maybe she'll reject meeting me. Y-Yeah! Roxas perked up at the thought and felt the nervousness subsided. She told me to leave her alone before. She most likely doesn't want to talk to me, let alone meet me! Right! I bet Refia is coming back now to tell me that— He froze mid-thought. At that moment of hope, Roxas glanced right down the hallway and saw, just as he wished, Refia floating towards him. However…

She wasn't alone.

The Mother of Witchcraft strode towards him with graceful steps, arms loose at her sides, and Roxas could tell her chin was held high despite the veil. She looked just the same as the previous night, dressed in all black from head to toes. He briefly wondered if she had any other wardrobe that wasn't in the color of a raven's feather.

They stopped just by the threshold of the hallway, Refia a step behind her Mistress, hands daintily crossed. "Roxas Strife, I present to you, her Mistress." The ghost introduced.

"Hel— Good afternoon," Roxas managed, not knowing what to address her as. She wasn't his mistress, and he doubted calling her 'witch' would be a safe move.

If the witch got offended by his lack of address, she didn't show it in her tone — dry and disinterested. "Refia informed me you have requested my presence. What is it you wish to question?"

"U-Um… Well…" He stammered. "I-I was wondering if you um… want to join us for dinner later?"

Refia's widened eyes only heightened the anxiety level of Roxas's already distraught mind; his thoughts jumped into all worst-case scenarios. Goddess… I'm dead for sure…

The Mother of Witchcraft remained still, not uttering a sound. After what felt like an eternity of torturous silence, she turned on her heels and walked away, her pace brisk and forceful, as if she would soon break into a jog.

"H-Hey! Where are you going?" Roxas yelled after her fast retreating figure. "You haven't answered yet!"

"I'll pass it to you later, Roxas," Refia promised, then flew off to catch up with the witch, leaving the young man standing alone by the stairs once more, filled with more questions than answers.

By the time he reached the servants' quarters, the food had dwindled, and empty seats were plenty. Roxas sat down on the nearest chair and filled his plate with food, but couldn't find the appetite. His mind wandered back to the sight of the witch's back facing him, swiftly walking away without providing an answer, as if she was… fleeing.

But why would she do that?

Roxas groaned, shaking his head. That makes little sense. Knowing he wouldn't figure out an answer, he focused back on his meal, tearing them into bite-size pieces.

He was halfway through finishing his meal when he felt a presence sitting down beside him. He immediately perked up when he saw who it was. "Refia. You're back." Roxas dropped his cutlery without care and turned in his seat to face the girl. She was avoiding his eyes, and Roxas felt his stomach sink. "So... What did she say?"

The ghost bit her bottom lip, then shook her head. Roxas's shoulders dropped like a deflating balloon. "Oh…" Of course. He'd expected she would say no. So why did he feel so disappointed?

"I… I'm sorry," Refia muttered meekly but Roxas quickly shook his head.

"No, no. It wasn't your fault. It's her decision. You only helped to pass the message. Thank you so much for that. I… I should be the one saying sorry, making such a sudden request and disrupting your lunchtime. Please," he stopped to gesture at the food. "Have your lunch. Thank you for your help again, Refia."

"I'm glad to be of assistance, Roxas. If you need my help again, don't hesitate to ask."

Roxas smiled. "I'll keep that in mind."

Refia returned a smile of her own, and the two of them settled back into a quiet lunch.

"So… A little bird told me you've asked Mistress to join us for dinner but was rejected?"

Roxas sat in his seat beside Axel after helping set up the dishes of food and silverware. He turned to meet the fire spirit who held a rather sly toothy grin on his face that reminded him of the Cheshire Cat character from a very peculiar book back in Twilight Town Library. "Um… Yeah?"

"Good Goddess, Roxas. You've taken my advice? I feel honored."

"Advice?" The young man blinked. "What advice?"

Axel raised a brow and slumped in his seat, leaning an elbow onto the table. "You know, befriending with Mistress. That's what you're doing, right? Why else would you have asked her for dinner? I got to say, that's a good start. Should have let me know first though, I could have sent some people to set the dining room up—"

"Oh! No. No. Axel, you got it wrong," Roxas cut in. "I didn't ask her for that."

Axel shot him another puzzled look and sat back straight. "If not, what's your true purpose?"

Roxas pressed his lips together in a slight grimace, rubbing the back of his neck. "Refia said the witch doesn't eat much. I just… felt that she should join us; some company might help with her appetite." He let out a dry laugh and shook his head. "I already knew she would say no. I don't even know why I tried."

"No," Axel disagreed. "It's great that you asked her, Roxas. Mistress she… she just needs further persuasion. I bet if you ask her again for the next few days, she will eventually agree."

"But why should I?"

Roxas's question caught Axel off-guard, and for a moment, he sat there mouth agape. As the flame spirit struggled to find the right words, Roxas spoke up. "Clearly, she doesn't like me, and her answer proved she didn't want to do anything with me either. So, I might as well just give her what she wants: Keep my distance, no interaction, or conversation whatsoever."

Roxas looked away from Axel and joined the rest of the servants for dinner. The meal proceeded as usual; the ghosts shared segments of their lives between bites and Roxas hung onto every bit of their stories.

"You bet what?" Roxas gaped at the spirit who sat across the table and two seats to his left. The spirit laughed. The faint spirals on his body shifted away from his chest at the action.

"You should have seen his face when it happened," the spirit said and downed his mug of ale. He let out a sigh of satisfaction. A wide grin on his face. "It's his own fault, really."

Roxas took a quick bite from his slice of meat and chewed thoughtfully. "How… How did you know his business will fail though? You said you had only been in the town for two days, didn't you?" He asked, watching the spirit accepting another mug of ale with an inky black hand of his.

When Roxas first met this spirit, he had mistaken him for Xigbar due to their same inky black body. However, same with Xigbar, once he had gotten closer to him, he could see the differences between them. To Roxas's observation, Xigbar is a walking piece of the night sky littered with stars. But when he moved, the stars remained in place, creating the illusion of something endless beyond a human-shaped 'door'.

This spirit, whom he learned named Luxord, didn't have any stars. Instead, there were faint, silver spirals markings. Some of them were big — the gap wide between the curved lines; while some were small — the gaps so close together the spirals could be easily missed. Unlike Xigbar's stars, Luxord's spirals moved along with him and even shifted and glided across his form as if they're on water from his actions.

Another similarity they have, other than the ink-colored body, was ironically Xigbar's stars and Luxord's spirals — both were infinite.

Luxord chuckled and took a gulp of his ale before turning to face Roxas. "Aye, I might have only been there for a short time, but I watched everything around me. A window of opportunity can open and close in the blink of an eye, and I jumped on the chance to win some pretty money. His pride blinded him from the losses he was making. He thought he held the winning hand when I made the bet, and that determined his fate. It took less than two weeks, just as I predicted."

Roxas nodded absentmindedly, amazed by the gambler's story. "Do you make a lot of bets like that?"

Luxord shook his head. "Chances like that are hard to come by; not all are willing to take such risks with a stranger like me, and luck can be ever so fleeting. I, however, made a comfortable fortune gambling in multiple inns and even on the road before I came here. Cards are my specialty, but I ain't no fool with dice and chess."

As if being shot by an arrow, Roxas froze in his seat, his fork halfway to his mouth. He blinked once, then twice, and set down his fork. With his eyes remaining on Luxord, he asked, "You… were alive before you came here?"

This time, it was Luxord's turn to freeze, his mug of ale in the air rather than a fork. The silence between them lasted for half a minute before Luxord broke their eye contact with a cough and immediately chugged his drink as if it was a lifeline.

It was clear the gambler was trying — and failing — to act as if he had not heard Roxas's question. Of course, Roxas wouldn't let him get away so easily. "Luxord, answer me. Were you alive and human before you came here?"

"I-I…" Luxord stammered. "L-Let's forget about it, Roxas. It doesn't matter. An-Anyway, do you know how to play chess?"

Roxas furrowed his brows, not liking Luxord deflecting his question. "I don't. Luxord, can you—"

"Oh, you don't? Well, maybe I can teach you someday. It'll be great to have a new challenger," Luxord said with a forced chuckle before calling over a fellow spirit to refill his mug.

Roxas tried to continue the conversation, but Xigbar's call for spirits interested in a game of dice snatched Luxord's full attention. The gambler had already leaped off his seat before Roxas could form a word.

As he watched the spirit scurried over to his almost-doppelganger, Roxas felt the heat rise within him and his throat constricted. He also had the sudden urge to throw his fork at Luxord just to get him to turn back and answer his darn question. He just wanted a yes-or-no answer! It wasn't hard!

But no… No… Roxas composed himself, reining in his frustration before he could do something he'll regret again. Forcing Luxord to answer me will only drive him away. He's already avoiding me, I shouldn't make it worse for the future.

Feeling much calmer, Roxas dug back to his dinner. Without a company to chat with, Roxas thought back to Luxord's story as he ate. After his conversation with Kairi days ago, he had viewed all spirits like her as 'special spirits' that possessed human qualities. But now… He wasn't so sure anymore. Were they all humans once, or were they monsters created in the underworld? Luxord's story seems to support the formal, but… How can I know what he said can be trusted?

He couldn't. And that irked him.

When Axel showed up outside his bedroom, it was roughly three hours past dinner, and Roxas was getting ready for bed. "Axel?" His brows rose when he saw the glowing spirit outside his door. He pulled the door open wider. "Um… Hi. I… wasn't expecting you to come by. Can… I help you with something?"

"Yes. There's one thing." Axel said. "Tell me, Roxas. Is this what you want?"

With that, the tables turned, and Roxas found himself dumbstruck. The both of them stood by the threshold of the room, neither made a sound nor moved for what felt like a full minute before Roxas finally muttered, "H-Huh?"

"Is this what you want?" Axel repeated. His tone was steely, but his eyes were surprisingly gentle. "You said distance is what Mistress wants, but is it what you want?"

"I…" Roxas failed to continue.

"I know you're trying to get some answers from the other spirits. And I also know you didn't receive much. Don't take this the wrong way, Roxas. It's not because we don't want to tell you; we just can't."

Right. Axel told him before. But… "Why? Why can't you guys?"

The flame spirit shook his head with a slight grimace. "I'm sorry, Roxas."

Roxas clenched his jaw and took in a deep breath as he suppressed frustration. "Then how am I supposed to find things out myself?" Roxas asked, voice strained. "I can't get anything with all the rooms and lips locked."

"That's why I suggested you befriend Mistress," Axel asserted, his flame glowed brighter for a split second. "She— Mistress will help you. You two just need to get to know each other better."

Roxas stared at Axel as if he had told him the only way to save his life was to travel to the Realm of Darkness, a place of legend where the passage of time does not exist, and nothing grows or lives. It was absurd. Impossible. Ludicrous. Ridiculous. Foolish. Most probably suicidal. He could go on and on. And yet…

Yet…

Roxas let out a long, dejected sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Fine. Fine…" He said, then met Axel's eyes. "What would you suggest I do?"

"I guess… this is it?" Roxas muttered to himself, looking up at an oil painting of Mount Olympus hanging on the wall, the 'landmark' Axel had provided earlier during breakfast. Roxas shifted his eyes to look down the empty corridor he was in as another wave of uncertainty washed over him.

'Every morning, an hour or two before noon, Mistress will be out on a stroll around the castle. Wait by the mountain in the East Wing, first floor. She'll pass you by. Good luck!'

Good Goddess, the fact Axel thought he needed luck for this was not helping!

I can't believe I'm doing this. Again. Roxas thought, shuffling on the spot. It was like a repeat of yesterday, his insides turning into a jumbled mess as he waited for the witch to appear. "Calm down. Calm down," he murmured the mantra under his breath, but it did little to reduce his nervousness as he around the hallway.

Roxas wasn't sure how long he had waited, leaning against the wall under the grand painting. He hoped he had brought a book along; some light reading would have curbed his jitteriness and helped pass the time.

What if she had already walked past here before I arrived? Or what if she decided not to leave her room today? What time is it? I might need to head to lunch prep soon. Roxas pursed his lips slightly. "If only I own a pocket watch…"

Click Clack. Click Clack. Click Clack.

The sound jolted Roxas out of his musings, and he pushed himself off the wall. He looked around the hall and saw the witch made a turn around the corner on his left. Roxas shifted on the spot nervously as he watched the witch approaching him.

Dear Goddess, she really showed up! Roxas panicked and tried to recall his plan on how to talk to her. However, the sentences were all jumbled together; he couldn't tell which line came first or next. As she got closer and they were only a couple of feet apart, Roxas blurted, "He-Hey."

The witch unexpectedly jumped at his greeting. A hand flew to her chest, and her head whipped towards him.

"I'm sorry!" He recoiled, putting both hands up. "I didn't mean to startle you. I thought…"

In a moment, she dropped her hand and looked less tense. "I did not expect to see you here."

"Oh. Well, I am here to- Um… I was thinking if you—"

"No."

Roxas stared at her. "What?"

"No." She repeated.

"I-I haven't even said anything yet!"

"You are requesting me to join you for lunch later, aren't you?"

"Ah— Um… Yes?"

"Then you have my answer. Good day," the witch bid him farewell and turned her head away, continuing her stroll.

Roxas stood silent for a second, flabbergasted by her prompt rejection. "W-Wait!" Finally snapped out of it, the young man jogged to catch up to the witch. "Wait," he repeated as he drew closer. "Can't you tell me why?"

"No," the witch simply answered and showed no sign of slowing down.

"Why not? Do you prefer to dine on your own?" Roxas asked, his pace matching the witch's. "Do you always eat in your bedchamber? Why not eat outside for once? It might help with your appetite. Maybe I can get Xaldin to come up with some appetizers and have honey cake for dessert. You don't have to join us at the sitting room; Axel can set the dining room up instead. We don't have to make conversation either, we could just eat. I'll even prepare some tea afterward and—"

"Stop your rambling!"

SWOOOOSSSSHHHHHH!

The next thing Roxas knew, a burst of air slammed into him and sent him flying backward. He let out a cry as he landed on his back on the marble floor, the impact knocking the air out of his lung and pain shot through his body. Roxas grunted as he rolled to his side, feeling like he had fallen off a galloping horse. Once the pain subsided, he pushed himself up onto one elbow, still slightly winded.

"I-I…"

Roxas looked up to the voice and saw the witch stood about 20 feet away with an arm reached out. When his eyes fell upon her, the witch flinched and withdrew her hand, clutching them both to her chest. "I… Just… LEAVE ME ALONE!"

With that, the witch turned on her heels and sprinted down the hallway, her veil fluttering behind her.

Roxas remained sitting on the cold floor long after the echoes of her tapping heels had faded, fuming with anger and frustration. If he hadn't been so disoriented by the gale attack earlier, he would have noticed the witch's trembling hands.

Axel found Roxas in the busy kitchen an hour before noon, chopping some carrots with more force than necessary. The CHOP CHOP CHOP from his station was loud and clear the moment Axel entered and judging from the nervous look on some spirits around him, it was obvious Roxas was not in a good mood.

"I reckon it didn't go well," Axel said as he approached the blond.

"It'll be a miracle if it did," Roxas grumbled, not bothering to look up as he deposited the chopped carrot into a half-filled bowl then grabbed his next victim from a nearby basket. Another unfortunate carrot was split in half with a loud CHOP in the next second.

Axel fought the urge to flinch as he watched Roxas hack up the rest of the hard vegetable, secretly grateful that knives are harmless to fire. "Did Mistress leave without giving you an answer again?"

"No," Roxas said, swapping the empty basket with another filled with peeled potatoes. "She said 'no'."

Axel raised a brow at the news. "Oh? She did? You looked aggravated, so I thought she didn't."

"She attacked me, Axel!" Roxas looked up and locked eyes with the flame spirit. "She cast wind magic on me! For no reason too, might I add. I even went to Kairi to check for bruises." Suddenly, he slammed the knife down onto the cutting board with a THUMP. "OF COURSE I'M ANGRY!"

"Whoa, whoa. Careful, Roxas! You might cut yourself!" Axel exclaimed while bringing both hands up, unsure if he should move the sharp tool away from the upset young man. "I know. I can understand why you're angry. But I'm sure Mistress doesn't mean to hurt you. It was most likely summoned by accident rather than intent. I swear!"

Roxas raked a hand through his hair and groaned, "She could have killed me, Axel! If it had been fire instead, I'm toast!"

Axel would have laughed at the unintentional joke if the young man wasn't glaring holes into him at the moment. He frowned apologetically. "I understand, Roxas. I'm truly sorry you have to go through that experience, but trust me when I said it was an accident. I understand Mistress the most; she would never attack anyone without justification."

Roxas's scowl deepened. "Accident or not. I'm not talking to her anymore."

"W-What?! No! I mean— You can't just give up like that. You said you'll befriend her."

"That was before I know I'll be risking my life!"

"It's only an accident! You'll be fine! I promise! How—How about one more time? Third time's a charm, right? Just one more?" Axel suggested, his tone pleading, eyes imploring.

"I— You— Third—" Roxas opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to form a sentence. Finally, he broke eye contact with Axel, mumbled something unintelligible, and picked his knife back up. Soon, a potato met the same fate as the carrots.

Knowing that was his cue, Axel made a short bow and left the kitchen without another word.

Outside the castle walls, it began to snow.

The next chapter will have more actions, I swear!

If you have spotted any grammatical errors, don't hesitate to inform me about it. I accept constructive criticism and ways to improve your reading experience.

I would like to thank the lovely people in the following for

Review: Ljstarlight, Chirithy564(Guest), Webb360, LeYenrz, Broncozfan623, StellarMage99, UltimateAvengers, SupperBiscuit, Ima Nonyme, PrometheusDark, Anon Omega(Guest), DPSS, sjsreader, Frostburn243, RoastedButter, TruSelf(Guest), Skuld(Guest), Alice-Ann Wonderland, Strategist Ghidorah, Rada(Guest), Izunavi, and 5 unnamed guests.

Favorite: SanityRequiem, Waltzing Deadman, WatcherOfStars, advanceshipping4ever, RoastedButter, Ljstarlight, Evernic, CrazyPINOY25, Greatwestern1522, LeYenrz, Webb360, Keep It Fresh to the Left, stealthclaw, Szejdol, The Rogue of Heroes, The Nigar, StellarMage99, Vigriff, UltimateAvengers, Broncozfan623, SupperBiscuit, Fantasysword92375, Ima Nonyme, PrometheusDark, EmperorSnorlax, EvanExodus, Yami Tensei, Frostburn243, danmcscuffles, SatoKasu4ever, The Knight Galahad, korsunskiye, Peaceful-Sea, cptdouglasjfalcon, Saiyakitsune, Leonidas701, Asia the Jester, Dark dragon slayer unlimited, ShrillKillerdog, FDGamerml, Rapticon sr. the Goldenhearted, tic1 julio pellejero, Strategist Ghidorah, Spiderfan626, Alice-Ann Wonderland, LilCardboardBoxThatIsBig, Vanar, The XIIIth Hero, xander501, Izunavi, Court818, and 1zayah.

Alert/Follow: Waltzing Deadman, The Knight Galahad, TheRoseAlchemist17, WatcherOfStars, advanceshipping4ever, relena soulheart, RoastedButter, Ljstarlight, Webb360, Evernic, Sophisticated Pigeon, Half-Dragon Hero, CrazyPINOY25, Broncozfan623, LeYenrz, SniperWolf61, Dracoboy259, stealthclaw, Szejdol, The Nigar, StellarMage99, UltimateAvengers, SupperBiscuit, Fantasysword92375, Ima Nonyme, PrometheusDark, sojiinifix, ghostninja1320, EmperorSnorlax, EvanExodus, Yami Tensei, sjsreader, Frostburn243, danmcscuffles, korsunskiye, Peaceful-Sea, Beav26, cptdouglasjfalcon, Saiyakitsune, Leonidas701, Dark dragon slayer unlimited, ShrillKillerdog, Rapticon sr. the Goldenhearted, tic1 julio pellejero, Strategist Ghidorah, storyseeker7, seakaai, Spiderfan626, Alice-Ann Wonderland, LilCardboardBoxThatIsBig, Vanar, The XIIIth Hero, xander501, Izunavi, phoenixblade8, arXy, and 1zayah.

And of course, my friend who beta-read this story.

Finally, to respond to the guest reviewer:

Skuld: Thank you for the review! I won't abandon this story. It is my main fanfiction project. Writing just... takes time for me due to me being a perfectionist and kept reviewing over and over until I'm satisfied. Something I'm still toning-down in the progress.

Thank you for reading! Do drop a review, favorite or alert to share your love and thoughts. Don't be shy to PM me too! *heart*