The Witch Hunt ♥ Elixir & Elflady

[Elixir]

♥ Here's the story ♥

Back in the times of the witch trials, hardly anyone was safe. With one word from the church, you could be burned at the stake, stoned to death, or simply tortured brutally until you finally gave up on living. Many innocents were killed, whether they were innocent or guilty of the crimes they were accused of. Did the church or witch hunters care? Not really. So long as they profited, what was the real harm? Not many people saw these actions as treacherous or malicious, for most just feared for their very lives. They'd do anything and everything if it meant keeping them or those they treasured out out of harm's way.

These are the times when this particular story takes place.

It follows the lives of two particular people, both of which reside in the small town of Ashwick Grove. One man goes by the name of Caleb Revier, and he's dedicated in the art of witch hunting. He doesn't do it only for the money and vain honor like most other hunters do, though. He has drive, motive, and a sure reason. Meanwhile, there's Rosette Thorne, the pastor's daughter. Due to her position as the head priest's daughter, she's grew up quite privileged, meanwhile Caleb comes from an entirely polar background. Such opposite people, though their fates are undeniably intertwined. Not to mention, Rosette has a deadly secret...

She's a witch.

Not all witches are bad, though, as she's managed to convince her father. A few years after her mother's eerie disappearance, she discovered her true identity, and her father decided to slightly open up to her existence so long as she assisted in the hunting of other witches. He doesn't quite understand that there are two kinds of witches, though; black and white. Rosette comes from a long line of white witches, those of which would never use their magic to harm human beings. On the other side, there are the black witches, and they love to stir up some chaos and trouble. They practice the dark arts without hesitation.

Not many people understand that there are good witches in the world, which is why Rosette keeps her identity under wraps. However, she can't hide forever. Caleb could figure her out any moment, just as easily as any other person in Ashwick Grove could stumble upon her accidentally while she's showing her powers.

What's in store for these two? How will they end up? What will become of the quaint Ashwick Grove?

Only time will tell.

♥

---

♥ Meet the cast ♥

These are the wonderful characters actively participating in the story~

Played By Elflady

Name: Caleb Revier

Age: 22

Gender: Male

Occupation: Witch Hunter

Skills: Having tried a handful of weapons Caleb prefers to use a spear, he also has a hunting knife tied to his waist. For hunting he mainly uses traps since he is terrible with a bow and arrow, he couldn't aim to save his life. Other than that he can fight decently without weapons and can both cook, sew, hunt, care for minor injuries and generally survive in the wild on his own.

Appearance:

Standing quite tall at 5'10" with as muscular a build he can get since he was born naturally slender and relies on speed and skill rather than raw muscle power. Caleb has dark reddish brown hair, parted slightly to the right, that falls across his eyes and while it is long enough to brush down his neck it can't be tied up. His narrow eyes are a mix of green and golden mixing well with his tanned skin, his nose is straight, and he has strong hands with calloused, rough skin from using his spear a lot.

Caleb is not rich by any means and keeps a simple wardrobe, he wears an off-white shirt with rolled up sleeves, a brown vest that is mostly only buttoned halfway. Dull, moss green pants made of cotton is tucked into almost knee high, worn, leather boots with the top folded down to create a cuff. A few leather pouches and bags are tied to his belt with his more important tools and objects, his hunting knife also hangs from his belt.

When he is out travelling and hunting witches he carries a simple bag with a flap with him where he keeps some essentials like an extra pair of clothing, a warm cloak, food, medicine and so on. But when he lives in town he doesn't need that, he also leaves his weapons home during times he stays in one place for long.

He carries his spear with him when he travels, the blade is covered by a special sheet and protected by a cloth wrapped around it. The spear itself is made of dark wood and with faint carvings on it near the blade and by the end, the blade is 1 foot and straight, it's razor sharp and always cared for by Caleb to be in peak condition.

Personality: Caleb is generally an easy going guy, friendly and not fond of unnecessary violence and doesn't like killing people, although a good fight gets his adrenaline going.While he is a man of faith Caleb doesn't hold the church in too high regard, he can't see the point of needing a middleman between you and God but he doesn't mind getting payed by the church though. He is not too good with his words all the time and can also be quite dense in some situations even if he is more insightful than his laid back nature indicates. Normally not one to act rashly without thinking Caleb often sees the logic and reason in things even when he would prefer not to.

Born a commoner Caleb sides with the poor in the world and as often used his skills to protect others while on his hunts. His sense of justice and need to do what is right can sometimes clash with the law but when he is troubled he will follow his heart, believing God will guide him. However his kind heart and mercy is not extended to witches, the memory of the evil witch who took his brother is always with him and while he does not search especially for her he would not hesitate to exact revenge if he happened upon her.

Deep down he is a little conflicted about hunting witches, during his life he has always believed that women should be protected and to harm a woman is a sign of weakness and corruption and yet witches are all women. Of course his conscience is eased by the fact that witches are evil but his solid belief has cracked slightly after sending off witches to be judged who by all accounts seemed good and pure. So far he prefers to ignore those seeds of doubt and blindly clings to what he has known as true his entire life. All he needs is a push to stop put blind faith in others words and text and think on his own, but if you have heard all your life witches are evil it is hard to shake that belief.

History: Born to a commoner family, his dad being a hunter and his mother a seamstress Caleb and his younger brother grew up in a loving albeit struggling home. His father had a permission to hunt by the Lord who owned the area but that meant he had to pay heavier taxes by giving up a lot of his kills. Caleb had since a young age been trained by his father to track and hunt, and due to his mother's work he was also learning skills in her trade.

When he was 13 and his brother 9 their mother died due to an illness and Caleb took it upon himself to take care of the house and his brother while his father had to work harder to earn enough money for them all. This made Caleb a good cook among other household tasks and basically becoming a surrogate mother for Thane.

While his father worked as a hunter as well as doing extra odd jobs in and out of town, Caleb raised his little brother and the two became very close as their father was rarely home and also had become more reserved and serious after his wife's passing.

Caleb left home when he was sixteen, he quite quickly came into contact with witch hunters, they were doing what he longed to do, captured witches and brought them to justice, unless they fought too much and had to be killed where they stood. They trained Caleb and taught him how to do the job of a hunter how to capture a witch and turn her into the church safely, and how to use less than deadly force unless it was necessary.

Now he is 22 and survives by the money he gains as a witch hunter employed by the church, normally he doesn't have much interest in the church even if his faith is strong but being employed by the church gave him an income opposed as being a lone hunter. He is currently hiring a small house in an equally small town far from his childhood home and is rather enjoying a stable home for the first time in years even if it's not permanent. Even if he is payed by the church he still needs to actually capture witches to keep receiving his income and he moves accordingly to the sightings of witches.

Other: Left handed but has developed a slight ambidextrous trait when it comes to weapons just in case he would get his main arm injured. He is very religious but doesn't care much for the church thinking a man's faith is between him and God and not between him and the church. Likes sweet stuff but is not fond of bitter things. Drinks alcohol but isn't overly fond of it, but often it is safer than water depending on where you are. He carries a plain silver cross on a chain around his neck, it's roughly 2.5 inches long, it first belonged to his mother and later Caleb took it after his brother was killed.

Played By Elixir

If you see an elegant and chaste looking young lady walking down the street, her ivory skin glowing with enchanting vigor, her honey drizzled irises twinkling in the most endearing of fashions, and her gorgeous, silken brown curls flowing long past her waist, bouncing with life - then you're most likely looking at this woman right here. She towers at a mere 5'2'', and she's quite petite in figure, though she's much stronger than she may seem. Most think of her as a fragile flower, comparing her to the delicate pink roses she almost always has in her possession, but one must be sure to never forget that roses naturally possess thorns.

She can normally be found wearing rather alluring lace and fine cotton dresses, and some may even mistake her for a princess with the way she carries herself. She's filled with benevolence and compassion, and some may even regard her as ethereal. Sometimes, the young girl can even be mistook for an angel, with beauty rivaling even the most picturesque spring blossoms. However, she doesn't appear to possess a hint of vanity, nor does she seem to look down on others. The girl gives off a friendly air, as if inviting others in so she can share all the love and kindness she has to offer. She's simply beautiful, inside and out, and her entire town knows it.

Now, what exactly is her name, you ask?

Rosette Thorne

Age
She's currently the young age of twenty one.

Gender
She's a young maiden, but of course.

Occupation
She's the pastor's daughter, though she's secretly a witch.

Abilities
Rosette is a white witch, meaning that she's the type of witch that will never use her abilities to harm humans. She specializes in the arts of healing, so she knows quite a bit about herbs and the like. However, with the use of the power of words and touch, she can actually heal with her bare hands. Very rarely does she use her direct power to heal humans, unless they're in dire need of her assistance. Healing isn't the only thing Rosette is capable of, though. She's able to influence plant life, allowing her favorite pink roses to bloom even in the harshest of winter, but she covers this up with a green house behind the church. She knows various spells, as well.

Personality
Rosette is the very definition of benevolence. Her heart is so kind and so pure, it almost leaves people in disbelief at how someone can be so sweet. She's gentle and caring, and, in all of her years, she hasn't harmed a single soul. All she ever wants to do is help and assist people, for she simply wants all those she loves to lead happy, fulfilled lives. One may even deem her selfless for this trait, but she's not completely. She also has a sense of self protection, as well, and she's not afraid to stand up for what she believes is right. If need be, she'll even stand all on her own. Rosette has a strong sense of justice, and she won't stand by idly if someone is being wronged.

Rosette is also a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. She doesn't believe in coincidence, for she's more of the type of person that trusts in fate. She doesn't believe her entire life is up to fate, though. All in all, she does believe that people have the power to create their own destiny. Rosette always thinks before she speaks and acts, for she knows that her choices define who she is. The power of will is immense, and she knows this fact very well due to her power as a witch. Her words can change the ways of the world, which is one of the reasons why she's so careful about what she says. She's quite wise for her years, and many know it.

Rosette is also an incredibly modest young girl, too. Some may not expect it, but she's actually quite easily embarrassed. She can be outgoing when the time calls for it, and she's very open with those she treasures, but she has her shy and timid moments, as well. Rosette has also never been in love, despite being the age that she is. While all of her other friends were off in search of adequate young men to marry, Rosette was practicing her craft and helping her father, the pastor, out with running the church. Some may judge Rosette for her beliefs, however, due to how different they are from the norm. She doesn't believe in one true God, after all.

She believes everything around her is holy, for the earth itself is what she worships. Not many people of the town know this, though, and she's not all that open with it due to her father's position. Some may doubt him if they found out that his daughter didn't follow the same spiritual path.

Still, Rosette is her own person, and she's not ashamed of it.

She marches to the beat of her own drum.

Biography
Rosette was born into a rather privileged family. Her mother was of high regard due to her position as a honorable apothecary, and her father was the head priest at the church in the small town they all lived in. Due to their positions that actively involved guiding and helping the people, either spiritually or medically, Rosette was raised to be compassionate and faithful from day one. Ever since she was a small child, she shared a special bond with her mother, and she's actually the one who taught her all about the craft. The springtime was her favorite time of year, for they'd always practice interacting with plants and animals.

In the beginning, though, Rosette didn't understand exactly what they were doing. Her mother never called them witches, though she insisted that Rosette keep her abilities a secret from her father. Not quite understanding why, Rosette reluctantly obeyed, simply deciding to enjoy the alone time she had with her mother. It was fun, and she felt incredibly special, though she did hate keeping it a secret. One day, whenever she was in school as a young little girl, she made the mistake of revealing her power to her closest friend. She made a daisy grow in the palm of her hand, and it began spinning as though it was dancing all on its own.

Shocked and terrified, her friend left the scene at the speed of light, and Rosette never understood why. Crying, Rosette rushed back home to her mother and told her what happened. Her mother clearly wasn't happy, but she didn't blame her dear daughter for the incident. Instead, she paid a visit to her friend's house. At first, her mother tried convincing the girl's family that she and her daughter weren't a threat, but they didn't believe them. They threatened to have Rosette and her mother burned at the stake. Telling Rosette that this was for her own good, she erased the entire family's memory of Rosette and herself, protecting them.

After that, Rosette understood the danger of revealing their identities.

Choosing to simply enjoy her powers in secret, Rosette became a slight bit of a loner as she aged. She'd talk and help people as she saw fit, but many didn't approach her due to her overwhelming aura. She's friendly and kind, but some deem her too perfect for this world. Because of her beauty and elegance, she can be slightly hard to approach in some people's eyes. Not to mention, her father holds a great deal of power in the town. One word from him, and you could end up banished - or worse, killed. Rosette and her mother always tried to prevent him from abusing his power, but then something terrible visited their precious hometown.

A black witch.

This witch was quite formidable, unlike any of the other minor dark energies that were being hunted within the town. Rosette's mother could sense her presence all the way from the outskirts, and Rosette could feel it, too, due to the strength of her family's craft. To this day, she doesn't realize that she's apart of a long line of white witches. All she understood was the fact that she was capable of doing things that the other girls in town couldn't. Rosette's mother, on the other hand, knew exactly what she was capable of. Thinking of it as her duty, she attempted to stop the witch in her tracks before she brought complete and utter chaos into their town.

Her efforts completely backfired on her, however.

Due to her fighting the witch, she revealed herself as one if her technical kin, despite the fact that their ways and beliefs vary dramatically. Rosette's father, her husband, was the one to find her.

The details of what happened were never revealed to the young Rosette.

She has no idea what truly happened that night. The only thing she can remember was her mother casting some sort of charm on Rosette's being after giving her the rose pendant she almost always wore around her neck. She also left her the book of shadows that was in her family for generations. "Don't look inside until you're eighteen," she can recall her mother's words. "Only then will you be ready to handle the truth." At first, Rosette always wondered what this truth was, and she was tempted to go back on her mother's word and just read the book anyways. However, whenever her father bestowed the news of her untimely departure, she obeyed her final request.

Years and years went by, and witch hunting became more and more of a thing. More and more people were getting burned at the stake, and not all of them were even witches to begin with. How did Rosette know? Well, none of them possessed that energy that Rosette sensed that night her mother never came back home. In her mind, the black witch must have done something to her. Was she dead? Did she have to run away? Rosette has no idea. All she knew was that her mother was gone, and all she had was the book and pendant she left behind for her. She couldn't wait for her eighteenth birthday to arrive, and soon enough, it did.

For a moment or so, Rosette couldn't get the thing to open. There was some sort of oddly shaped lock on the book, but Rosette soon realized why the shape looked so familiar. The rose pendant her mother left to her actually ended up being the key, and soon Rosette was able to finally pry the book open. Inside were spells upon spells, as well as incredibly interesting details about magic and the craft. This was when Rosette finally realized that she was a witch, but not just any witch. She was a white witch, and there was also a list of specific rules in the book her mother left behind. It was what differed her from all the witches being burned at the stake.

For the past three years, Rosette has been living in secret from the world. Despite her mother's warning, though, she decided to tell her father about what she was. In the beginning, he couldn't even look at her, though she sensed something off about his reaction. It was almost as though he wasn't surprised; like it was something he was expecting, but dreading. Luckily enough, though, he heard her plea about how she was different, and she showed him her book of shadows. Seeing this as more of a blessing, her father decided to let Rosette use her power to help and protect the people, as well as assist in sniffing out black witches.

How long this peace will last, though...

Only time will tell.

♥

---

♥ Introduction ♥

Rosette Thorne​

Rosette could smell the scent of fall in the air. Despite the fact that it was getting a tad chilly out, Rosette left the window to her room wide open. The cool breeze made her curtains flow through the air gracefully, as if calling to Rosette to come and look outside. The sun's rays were peeking through the sheer white fabric, beckoning her to come closer. After sitting up in her bed and letting out a nice stretch, Rosette listened to their call. Her small feet planted themselves back on the ground, and, one step at a time, she made her way over to her window. From the second story of her father's home, she could see a large amount of the small town of Ashwick Grove, and people were just beginning to awaken and roam about. It was about seven in the morning, smack dab at the end of September, and Rosette was ready to tackle another day with eager, honey glazed eyes.

Every morning, the young maiden had a routine. She'd wake up, get dressed, and perform all of her other morning rituals. Once she was ready, she made her way over to the church where her father was probably already residing. Behind the church was her beloved green house, which was the place where she freely practiced with many of her abilities. None of the townspeople knew this, however. In fact, not many even knew that the green house existed. It was built right in a small clearing behind the shrub and forestry behind the church building, so it was actually concealed pretty well. Rosette didn't really feel any need to hide, though. The only thing she had in the structure were innocent herbs and other plants, those of which she could simply say she grew naturally over time. No one could prove she actually used her magical powers to speed up the process.

Still, seeing as nobody else was around, Rosette decided to allow herself to let loose and relax. She greeted her beloved rose garden kindly, gently allowing her fingers to linger along the smooth rose petals. "Good morning, lovelies," she spoke, her tone nothing less than loving and affectionate. Her pink roses meant a great amount to her, especially due to the fact that they were also her mother's favorite plant. "I named you after these roses," Rosette could recall her mother telling her years upon years ago. "I'm sure that, one day, you'll grow and blossom just like these flowers do, and you're beauty will be unrivaled." She remembered the scene of her mother gently placing her soft hand on the side of her porcelain cheeks, her honey hued irises meeting Rosette's identical pair.

Placing her hand over her heart for a moment, Rosette tried to soothe the subtle ache arising within her.

Sadly, her mother wasn't around anymore.

Now, all she had were these roses, as well as the gifts that her mother left behind. Rosette actually had her book of shadows hidden in the green house, and, to make sure that nobody would ever stumble upon it, she shielded it's presence with a spell. Any normal human who set foot in here wouldn't be able to find the book no matter how hard they tried, for she made it invisible to the naked eye. Rosette, on the other hand, knew exactly where she had it hidden. Upon her touch, the book revealed itself, and Rosette took out the rose pendant she always wore around her neck. Bringing the pendant down to the lock over the cover of the book, she pressed down, and the seal unlatched. She then began flipping through the pages, finding one of her favorite remedies. "This could be useful for some of the townspeople," Rosette spoke her thoughts out loud as she smiled sweetly.

Gathering the proper materials, Rosette began mixing all of the herbs, crushing them together with her pestle and mortar. Upon saying a few words, the plants began glowing in the bowl, and they began to morph together in some liquid. On one of the shelves besides the pots that all of her herbs were growing in, there were also various bottles and vials she used to hold her potions and liquid remedies. "Anyone who's feeling a bit under the weather should feel much better after drinking some of this," she nodded to herself in pleasant satisfaction. "It'll warm them up, and any flu plaguing them should be gone within days!" She exclaimed proudly to herself, giving her body a small twirl in delight. She held the small vial in the air as she did so, bringing the small container back down to her torso after spinning. Guess I should head back into town, then, she thought with a sweet beam.

She stuffed a few vials filled with the medicine she just made into her bag, deciding to visit a few families that she knew had one or two people who were ill. I'm sure they'll appreciate it, Rosette thought to herself, enjoying the sensation that came whenever she thought of a good deed. She just knew that this feeling would increase wonderfully once she actually accomplished it, helping all those feeling ill heal and get back to leading happy, healthy lives.

I hope they'll like it! She skipped her way past the church grounds and back into town.

 

[Elflady]

Caleb Revier​

The steadily rising sun in a clear sky did nothing to ease the early morning cool air that leaked inside through even the tiniest crack, spreading that unmistakable autumn chill inside the small house. No matter how much time Caleb had spent on the house since he had arrived to repair it and make it more inviting nothing seemed to be able to keep out the dawn air. Having been roused from sleep by the same annoying inner clock that had been honed during his childhood Caleb had already reawakened the fire in the main room and gotten dressed before the sun had finished rising behind the houses.

Even if the approaching winter caused the sun to rise slower each day and the summer warmth was nowhere to be found Caleb appreciated this time of year since he often stayed in one place during winter to avoid risking his life needlessly against the elements. Seeing as he got his pay from the church regularly even if it was not something that made him rich it was steady income so Caleb could take these colder months slow if he wanted to. But doing nothing didn't suit him, if it was because it was a simple personality trait for him or the result of working all his life he wasn't sure and neither did it matter, the result was the same anyway. Ever since moving to Ashwick Groove a few weeks back Caleb had done his best to help out around the small town, even if his job was to hunt witches it didn't mean that was all he could do.

He had spent much time on getting the run down house he was renting livable again but he had spent just as much time helping others with renovations or tasks ranging from chopping wood to cook. His range of skills might seem odd, especially for a young man but when you grow up poor and with responsibilities not normally placed on a young teen it wasn't hard earning experience in many tasks. Caleb even enjoyed most of them.

Lately he had been doing his fair share to help repair the old general store, the building had gradually declined over the years an by now both the exterior and interior needed some work. Not only did it feel like the right thing to do since it was something he could do it was also a nice way to get to know the people of Ashwick Grove. The town was small, small enough for everyone to know everyone so it hadn't been hard to at least meet everyone in a quite short amount of time even if he couldn't name more than a few yet. This place was both friendly and peaceful, somewhere you could always find help and a kind conversation, a polar opposite to the bustling city he was born and raised in, where people thought of themselves first and others never.

Having finished his simple breakfast and cleaned up afterwards Caleb turned his attention to the fire, it wasn't a big one but he liked to almost put it out, leaving it smoldering in the hearth while he was out. That way it was not such a big risk of a fire spreading and it would also be easy to wake it once he got home again, and the closer it got to autumn the more appreciated it would be to spread warmth fast. Pulling rough fingers through his dark red hair Caleb stepped out the door, closing it behind him, the day had grown a bit warmer the more the sun rose in the sky but it was obvious that the summer was over.

It didn't take long to reach the general store and a few men were already at work, around autumn sickness flourished and it did so even here but still people refused to stay home and rest. Only children seemed to be forced to take it easy while sick as the adults seemed to ignore their own illness unless they truly could barely leave the bed. It was a trait Caleb appreciated, while it was foolhardy it showed dedication and a will to do some honest work, not like some more well off people he had encountered who would have used even a slight cold as an excuse to avoid any sort of work.

Greeting the others Caleb got to work, not being the most talkative guy around he mostly listened as the rest were talking and joking only adding his opinions occasionally. It wasn't the most exciting job even if the company was good and there was always a good meal waiting after the day was over to reward their hard work. Still, compared to being on the move and hunting for witches this was both relaxing and rewarding.

 

[Elixir]

Rosette Thorne​

Rosette skipped her way down the street with a light, open heart, and many of the townspeople greeted her as she passed by. "Oh, good morning, Miss. Thorne! Wonderful weather, isn't it?" Some would say, and they'd all receive an equally bright smile from Rosette in response. Her chestnut gaze seemed to smile along with her pale pink lips, too. "Yes, it's a beautiful day~ I hope you're doing well!" She'd typically respond before happily strolling along her way. Soon enough, she made her way to one of the houses she planned on blessing with her herbal remedy. Politely, she knocked gently on the front door. "Good morning!" She'd call out as she patiently waited for someone to answer the door. Soon enough, she'd be greeted and invited inside. This time around, she was paying the Blackwell family a visit.

"I heard your daughter caught a bit of a cold," Rosette began speaking to Mr. and Mrs. Blackwell as she rummaged through her bag. With a warm and reassuring smile, she took out one of the smaller vials, that of which held just enough for the small girl to quickly recover. "If you have her drink a teaspoon of this every day, she'll be up and well in no time!" She promised them with a sincere expression. The two clasped their hands together, both letting out small bits of relieved laughter. "Oh, my! This is just what we needed! You're an angel, Rosette. A pure angel!" Mrs. Blackwell began as she brought the girl in for a brief, but snug embrace. Returning the hug, Rosette let out a sweet giggle of her own. "Oh, you flatter me, Mrs. Blackwell. Just make sure little Lucinda recovers soon, okay?" Rosette spoke kindly before taking her leave.

She repeated this process a couple more times before ultimately realizing she made a bit more vials than she needed. I wonder if anyone else could use some medicine? With the cold comes sickness here in Ashwick Grove.. Perhaps -- Oh! Rosette thought as she came across the general store that quite a few of the townspeople were working on. She knew how hardworking some of these men were, and she was well aware that they'd come and still try their best even if they were feeling ill. I'm sure someone here will find some use for this remedy, she thought as another sweet smile came across her pale pink lips. With a polite amount of caution, Rosette approached the building, hoping that she wouldn't interrupt their work. "Hello," she spoke out in her light, feminine voice. "How are all of you today?"

With twinkling honey glazed eyes, Rosette got out a couple of her vials, those of which contained enough medicine to cure about four or so people. "If any of you are feeling unwell, I made one of my signature batches of medicine. Please, take some if you need it! It's of no charge at all," she assured them. With a hearty chuckle, one of the more round and plump of the men came over to her. His nose was red, and he was sniffling quite a bit. Due to the soft red hue spread over his cheeks, Rosette was almost positive that he was getting a fever. "Thank you, Miss. Thorne," the man spoke in his deep, powerful voice. "You're a heaven sent sometimes, you know that?" He playfully nudged of his nearby buddies, who was letting out a couple sneezes. "Share?" He asked, which got another chuckle out of the man as he nodded.

Feeling happy after having done one of her daily good deeds, she turned to look at everyone else in the room. Some swished away her offer, seeing as they weren't feeling under the weather as of yet. Her honey drizzled gaze then settled on a man who didn't appear to be as talkative as the others. He was mainly focusing on the work he had on hand, which Rosette found admirable. It was refreshing to see people working hard. Most of the folks in Ashwick Grove were hardworking people.

"Are you feeling alright, sir?" She began, showing him a polite and kind smile as she approached him. Oddly enough, she didn't know his name, but she had seen him with her father before. Recalling this, she knew that he must have been one of the witch hunters most likely once under his employment.

"I have some medicine to spare if you or anyone you know is feeling ill. Please, don't hesitate if you have some use for it~"

 

[Elflady]

Caleb Revier

​

A lot of the needed work on the outside structure had already been completed, due to the risk of bad weather and the approaching winter all efforts had been focused to finish the outside first. Now what remained was a few touch ups and then the interior repairs, ranging from changing or supporting walls to fixing a door that didn't fit the frame to minor details. Though the work may have sounded extravagant when spoken about it was all quite simple, in a small town such as this and in theses times were the commoners had little money everyone pitched in to help and the rapairs themselves were hardly something that added beauty. Except for when Lucien, the town's resident carpenter, had time over and carved in patterns or a simple design to add some beauty.

Coming from a city, not such a big one actually but in comparison with Ashwick Grove it was large, where many houses were built of stone Caleb had not much experience with wood working but no one here seemed to mind and instead of refusing his offer to help he had been put to work on simpler tasks. "How's the door coming along Caleb," a man with a quite round body shape called from the other side of the room where he and another man had fixed the door frame. He was fairly certain the plump man was Shane and the taller one was Jonah, but he couldn't for the world recall their lastnames, but at least he was doing some progress with putting names to faces.

"It's soon finished," the red head answered after casting a judgemental eye across the door in front of him, his hand to eye coordination as well as skill with measuring without any tools had always been very good and he rarely used any measuring device any longer unless it was delicate work. "The frame's done so bring it over when you're done." Caleb only nodded in reply and the men returned to their conversation as they shifted their attention to a new area of work.

The front door opened and Caleb ifted his head to see who walked in, a light voice revealed it was a woman before he even set his eyes on her, and when he did it turned out to be someone he didn't know although he had seen her before. A few times when he had visited the priest he had seen her but the priest had never seemed very eager to introduce his daughter to him and Caleb hadn't insisted. After all he could think of several reasons why the man would not want to or simply had not thought of it at the time and it didn't really matter either.

The petite young woman seemed far too pure and innocent to be from a town this small and out of the way, it was surely just an illusion brought out by her appearance and gentle air but she did seem almost heaven sent like one man said as he accepted the vial. It certainly was very fitting that she was the pastor's daughter, a man doing God's bidding and was rewarded with a daughter inspired by an angel.

Caleb lowered the rasp he had been using to even out the wood and turned his green and golden eyes to the woman as she adressed him. "Thank you for the offer Miss," he said politely, his voice darker than his slender body would suggest. "But I'm fine, better use that medicine on someone who's sick rather than on me."

 

[Elixir]

Rosette Thorne​

Rosette watched the young man with eager honey glazed eyes as he lowered the materials he was working with. Soon, her gaze was met with one of enchanting gold and green. "Thank you for the offer Miss," he spoke out in a kind and polite tone, possessing a voice much deeper and darker than one may think by his appearance alone. "But I'm fine, better use that medicine on someone who's sick rather than on me." She took these words into account, though she knew that she had plenty of herbs to make more if others needed it. Deciding not to be rude and pry, she simply nodded towards him with grace. "May you stay healthy and strong, then," she wished for him with one of her sweet, warm smiles. With that, she gave everyone else in the space a wave of farewell. "I hope you all feel much better soon, and thank you for all the hard work you put forth. It's much appreciated!" She declared innocently as she made her way out of the structure. "Have a wonderful day!"

With that, Rosette began casually strolling the streets of Ashwick Grove. She still had one more vial to give away, though she didn't know of anyone else who could make some use of it. I wonder if father is okay, she thought to herself as she subconsciously began making her way back to the church. Soon enough, she was before the gorgeous building, and her father was offering some lost souls some peace of mind. "May God be with you," he spoke as he allowed them to take their leave. It appeared as though he just finished some preaching, though Rosette wasn't sure what he was talking to them about. Politely awaiting for the structure to empty, Rosette soon made her way over to her father. "Good afternoon," she spoke in greeting. With a warm smile, her father brought his beloved daughter into a sweet embrace. "Ah, Rose. Welcome back," he stated. After a moment, the two parted, and Rosette looked up at him with affectionate honey drizzled eyes.

"I gave some people one of my signature remedies," Rosette declared proudly as she took out her leftover vial. "I knew some families were being plagued with the common cold and the flu, so I decided to help them out a bit. Are you feeling alright, father? I have one to spare if you think you need it," she stated, but her father put his hands up for a moment in polite decline. "Oh, don't you worry about me, dear. I'm feeling as healthy as a horse," he reassured her with a smile. Rosette had heard him coughing just the other day, so she didn't entirely believe his words, but she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. He never tried her remedies to begin with, but she still always wanted to try. "If you say so," she shrugged elegantly as she placed the vial back into her bag. It was then that her father's face began to grow slightly solemn, and this caught Rosette's full attention. "Father? What is it?" She questioned, her chestnut irises locked unto his figure intently.

"Rosette, I have some grave news to bestow to you," he began with a soft sigh. "Those people who just took their leave are Mr. and Mrs. Rodney, and they came to me seeking advice about witches. Apparently, they believe one has taken their child, May." Rosette's eyes widened at the statement. A witch has taken a child? She questioned internally as she allowed it to settle in. Only the darkest of spells require actual humans, so if it really was a witch who took this child, the reason behind it was indefinitely diabolic. "They came to me, asking me to hire a witch hunter to seek them out and bring back their daughter alive. If black witches are showing their faces here in Ashwick Grove again, I'm afraid the burnings must continue. Please tell me that you understand." He began, his chocolate brown eyes gazing into Rosette's almost hesitantly. With a soft sigh, Rosette couldn't deny the fact that she didn't like the idea. However, she could understand when a black witch was involved.

"It's okay, daddy," Rosette began as she forced a smile, "I can understand. Just please try to remember that there are good witches in the world, like me and mom." She stated, and, to Rosette's surprise, her father looked away from her. His expression showed a hint of guilt and shame for a split second, but he quickly covered it up with a smile. "I know, sweetheart. I know." He assured her as he gently stroked her silken brown curls. "If you can offer any assistance, please do, Rosette. We may need it if we plan on saving little May." He stated, and thus he decided to take his leave. It was around this time that Rosette knew he liked to get in his daily dose of prayer, so she allowed him to walk off without question. "I'll help in any way I can," she promised under her breath. With that, she also decided to leave the church, deciding to go ahead and explore the town again. There was one place that everyone knew and loved: the famous traveler's inn and local pub, Hazelwood.

"Ah, Rosette! Welcome back!" The owner of the place, Rachael Barnes, greeted her warmly. She was a pudgy, middle aged woman who sported ginger hair, emerald green eyes, and an array of freckles. Her chipper voice always swathed Rosette in reassurance. "What will it be, darling? Shall I make you the usual cup of hot chocolate?" She offered graciously, for she knew that Rosette didn't drink alcohol. "That would be wonderful, Mrs. Barnes. I'd appreciate it," Rosette stated with another one of her bright beams. With that, she took a seat by her lonesome at a table set for two. There were plenty of others around her - some travelers, some locals, but all having a good ol' time. Little did they know that there just might be a black witch in town, and Rosette knew her father wouldn't make it public unless it he knew for sure. Once he had solid proof, however, Rosette knew that chaos would corrupt Ashwick Grove.. Just like it did before.

"Here you are, dear," Rachael brought Rosette a steaming cup of hot cocoa. "On the house!" She gave her a friendly wink, flashing her a toothy grin. With another sweet smile of her own, Rosette accepted the cup with gratitude.

"Thank you."

 

[Elflady]

Caleb Revier

Caleb watched her leave wth the rest of the men, Caleb only listened in silence as the others spoke, rasping down the last bit on the wooden door. "Having a woman like Miss. Thorne in town is really a blessing," one man said as the door closed after the brunette girl. "Maybe she was sent to us after the burnings?" Shane contemplated, some others joined in with murmurs of agreement. When it came to the priest's daughter, who he still did not know the name of, every man was just as polite to her whether she was present or not. It was rare behaviour where Caleb grew up but in Ashwick Grove life went by a bit differently than in a city, and the innocence visible in the girl was enough to bring out anyone's best behaviour.

"Burnings?" Caleb asked, putting down his rasp once more and stood up, lifting the door with him. "You mean the witch burnings?" Such burnings were still performed but not as frequently as before, and they were also less common in some areas while some places had witches to spare. But either the witches had grown more careful or the hunters had been very successful since there seemed to be fewer around, Caleb was more willing to believe it was the former though.

A man Caleb did not know the name of nodded solemnly. "Yeah, we haven't had too many of those recently but years ago they were common around these parts." Manouvering the door into place Caleb held it steady so Shane could secure the hinges before stepping back to test if the door made a better fit now. It did, moving unhindered and fit the door frame like it was cut straight from it. "Many witches around during those times, more witch hunters too but no one could find Mrs. Thorne."

Running a hand through his hair to push it from his golden green eyes Caleb looked at the plump man, his dark red hair instantly falling back down to shade his eyes when he lowered his hand. "The priest's wife, she went missing?" Caleb having lived in Ashwick Grove only a few weeks had not even learned everyone's names yet, let alone the town's past, and while he usually had a good track on witch burnings and places where witches had frequented he had never heard much about this little place far from any larger city.

"Yep, up and vanished one day, no one's seen her since but rumour has it a witch took her." A man said, Caleb was relatively certain that the blonde man was named, John or Jonas or something along those lines, or was it James? "There's no trace of her but she was like her daughter, sweet and good natured, it must have been the deed of a witch." Another said, venom in his words. "Just like now." Caleb arched an eyebrow at that. "A witch is here? I haven't heard anything about that." He grew instantly more alert at that, if there was a witch in town then she presented a threat to the enitre area, the people couldn't be fully safe with that threat lurking nearby. If there was a witch nearby then it was his duty to find her and bring the woman to justice.

"Keep your mouth shut, Rowen, there's no proof." Jonah butted in, breaking off Caleb's thoughts. From what he had been able to tell since he arrived Jonah was on the gruff side and was a man who prefered to know everything before making a decision or accusation even when it involved witches seemingly. "Sure there is, the Rodney girl, May, has gone missing, what else would kidnap a child out here?" Another retorted, voice full of certainty. More added their own thoughts on the matter, good or bad. Caleb let them continue the argument without his further involvement, there was a possibility of a witch keeping close to the town, a particularly cruel witch. Not many of the women Caleb had caught had used humans in their spells, especially not children, finding such a wicked one was rare.

As soon as their work was done on the general store Caleb left, declining to join the others for a drink at Hazelwood, he didn't have time for that now, not until he had made sure. Ever since arriving in town he hadn't made a huge deal of him being a witch hunter, the priest knew of course, and some in town might have caught on but the majority didn't know. Caleb had never made it a point to keep it a secret and if he was asked he would tell the truth, his occupation wasn't something to be ashamed over, but he appreciated to be a bit in the background and in most places he'd been in witch hunters were not allowed to keep in the background and move about like normal people. It all depended on the place of course but generally witch hunters were well liked, they were after all those who stood between the civilians and the witches.

Quickly reaching the church, in this town nothing seemed to be particularly far away. The large structure loomed above him and while beautiful was not a place Caleb much liked to spend time in. He was a religious man and put all his faith in God but he had always found it hard to accept that one would need a middle man to be able to speak to God. He just as well prefered to do that himself so he only entered when he had to, besides he found most churches a bit too large and cold for his liking.

"Excuse me," he called as he entered the building, scanning the area with green eyes for the priest. "I heard rumors in town of a witch, is there any truth to them? Is it true a child has gone missing?" Sure Caleb was pretty polite and well mannered for being born into a poor family and one of his witch hunter trainers had been a noble but he was hardly educated and neither did he care overly much if he wasn't as polite or sensitive as the situation demanded.

 

[Elixir]

Rosette Thorne​

Rosette quietly finished her cup of hot cocoa, enjoying the warmth that it blessed her petite figure with. Mm! Rachael truly does make a wonderful cup of hot chocolate, Rosette thought to herself with with a smile so sweet, it could rival the flavor of the pleasant drink before her. However, as she sipped away at it, she couldn't help but think of the place she occasionally helped out at. It was called the Witch's Bottle, and that place had absolutely magnificent drinks. Hazelwood was more of a place for drinking and hanging out with friends, but the Witch's Bottle was a more underground hangout. Rosette loved the feel of the small shop, that of which sported many books, the best cup of Joe in town, and by far the greatest tea and hot chocolate you can buy. Rosette actually found herself craving some, and the place had quite a few nice books. Many of which were about magical lore and details about witches, though most applied only to black witches.

Not many people know nor wish to realize that there are good witches in the world, Rosette thought, a soft sigh escaping her pale pink lips. She quickly finished her quaint cup of cocoa, and she made her way over to Rachael before taking her leave. "Thanks again for the hot chocolate, Mrs. Barnes," Rosette spoke, wearing the smile of an angel. With a hearty laugh and a shake of her ginger head, Rachael dismissed her thanks politely. "Don't you worry about a thing, Rosie," Rachael spoke, giving Rosette's ivory cheeks a gentle pinch. She winced slightly at the impact, though it didn't hurt too much, and it mainly caused giggles to escape her cheeks. The pinch made a shade of gentle pink come over her cheeks, to which Rachael nodded towards in approval. "You just worry about keeping those cheeks pink, those brown eyes beautiful, and that persona of yours heavenly, alright? Go catch yourself a man or somethin'!" She teased her playfully.

With a warm beam, Rosette nodded towards her kindly before turning away and taking her leave. "See you later, Mrs. Barnes. Have a wonderful day!" She called out before exiting the humble pub, and she then began making her way over towards the Witch's Bottle. Many assumed that the church would take over the shop, deeming it an act against God to host such vile information out in the open. However, after some debating, they decided that the place was informing the proper things about witches. It was also a profitable place, despite it being small and rarely frequented. In fact, it mainly only appeared as such. Many simply didn't want to be seen walking into the place due to it's taboo nature, but most still knew about it and visited discretely. It was this fact that made Rosette smile as she waltzed down the streets, greeting everyone who bothered to wave to her and call out her name. Many in the town admired Rosette, and she appreciate that fact.

After a few greetings and wishing people wonderful days, Rosette soon found herself at the intricate shop. The owner was an elderly man and his wife, both of whom went by the names of Mr. and Mrs. White. The man went by the first name of Edward, meanwhile his wife went by Ingrid, though Rosette always politely addressed them by their last names. Sure, she was well acquainted with them, but she was raised to be a respectful young maiden. As she walked through the door, Edward came to greet her with a small, humble smile. "Ah, my child. Welcome back," he spoke, and Ingrid followed close behind in suit. "Rosette, dear! Welcome back," she also greeted her, bringing Rosette in for a gentle embrace. "Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. White," she responded to them kindly, returning Ingrid's warm embrace. After the stationary greetings, they parted, and Rosette turned her honey drizzled eyes to them, her gaze flickering between the two.

"I've come to help out a bit, if you'll have me." She stated, that of which got a gentle cackle out of Ingrid. "Oh, you're such a darling. You can help out anytime you want, though I wish you'd let us pay you for your labors." Ingrid stated, tsking the young girl in a motherly manner. Rosette let out a gentle giggle at this, shaking her head towards her kindly. "You two work far more than I do, and you deserve the money much more. Besides, you always give me your marvelous beverages for free, and you let me read all the books I wish. I feel like I'm gaining far more than you two are," Rosette raised her brows, as if she most definitely proved her point. Playfully and without resistance, Ingrid waved her hand at Rosette in a dismissing manner, admitting defeat. "Alright, whatever you say. Would you like a cup of tea, by any chance? I just made a fresh brew of Lady Gray." Ingrid offered, and Rosette eagerly nodded in response.

"I would love some."

---

John Thorne, Rosette's father, was in the middle of personal prayer whenever he heard the sound of a voice calling out to him. "Excuse me," a voice sounded from inside the church. John's figure couldn't be seen, for he wasn't in the main hall of the church. He was in one of the rooms that he deemed his personal prayer chamber, so he chose to leave and address whoever entered the house of God he cared for. As he made his way down the hall and to the entrance, he could hear the masculine voice continue to speak. In a small sense, it almost sounded familiar. "I heard rumors in town of a witch, is there any truth to them? Is it true a child has gone missing?" The voice questioned, and this made John stop in his tracks. Rumors are spreading of the young May Blackwell? John thought to himself, shaking his head and letting out a sigh. He had hoped to keep the instance under wraps, but it appeared the Blackwell family opened up to people who enjoyed telling tales.

"Indeed, my son," John stepped out, revealing himself to the boy before him. He did indeed recognize him, and it was right then and there that he knew he was a witch hunter. "I shall not lie. The young May Rodney is missing, and her parents strongly believe that a witch is behind it all. I assume you are here to ask for the job, no?" He questioned, giving the young boy a look over. He seemed sturdy and capable, though it was quite skinny. Then again, you didn't need a large build to take on a witch. You needed a brain above all else, and this boy appeared to have some wits about him. John could infer such simply by the way he held himself.

"If you'd like, I could give you the case. Young May is but ten years young, and she's been missing for a week. I don't wish to bestow such dreadful news to her parents, but it just might be too late for her. However, it's never too late to bring the witch who took her to justice." John nodded in approval of his own statement.

"Would you like the job, my son?"

 

[Elflady]

Caleb Revier​

At first thinking the church empty as he found no sign of the priest in the main hall, not always the most patient of people Caleb was almost on the verge of leaving to try again another day when he heard a rustle of clothes, soon followed by the priest himself who confirmed the rumours. Upon having his small hope that it had all just been rumours getting out of hand crushed his brows drew together in a small frown and he cursed, remembering to do so silently, swearing out loud in God's house in front of a priest no less was not exactly proper. "Yes," he said, voice serious, no hint of greed or lust for glory in his eyes or posture. "With your permission I'll hunt down the witch without fail." Where others might have better resources or different skills Caleb was tenacious and determined to succeed and so far he had failed very few times in his hunts.

"We can only pray the little girl is still alive and if she is I'll get her back, but if she is lost then have no doubt that the witch responsible will be brought to justice." Using a little girl for her own dark deeds was too low even for a witch, it was something he could never condone or understand and it only fueled his determination to succeed. "Very well," the priest said with a nod. "You are hereby to find the witch and bring her to justice, and if possible find little May so her parents can get some peace of mind." John gave the young man an appraising look, he was young and not physically impressive but sometimes looks could be deceiving, you didn't judge a dog by his fur so to say. "Mr. and Mrs. Rodney can not say exactly when their daughter vanished, she was simply out playing and never came home again. Questions to May's friends and families nearby gained us nothing of importance unfortunately so you have your work cut out for you I'm afraid."

Of course nothing could be so easy as to have an eye witness or some sort of solid clue, but if it were that easy then no doubt the girl would have been found by now, or at least the witch would have been found. "Don't worry Father, no matter the difficulty I'll find the girl." Dead or alive, was a rather depressing statement but no less true, even if he didn't utter it out loud Caleb was certain the priest thought the same.

Caleb took his leave soon after, exiting the church and heading for town, passing by his own small house on the way, even if it was tempting to stop by and get his spear. It was of no use as of yet, he had not even a clue as to where the witch could be and walking around town with a weapon might not be the best idea. Even so he missed it, he had grown so used to having it with him during the years it was like something was missing without it, his hands missed the familiar smooth wood and the weight of it. When on a hunt the honed instinct to always be prepared and always ready to fight was even stronger and while some may think a normal weapon did little against a witch they were not entirely wrong but a weapon were certainly of more use than nothing at all.

Not that he wanted to suggest that the previous efforts done to find May was not enough he still wanted to check with her parents himself and maybe a few families close by, there could be something that could give him a lead. The Rodney's house was easily found after stopping a woman to ask for directions, but unfortunately they had nothing that gave even the slightest hint of where she was or who took her, the parents however were very grateful for him taking the job, making him quite certain this would also spread around the small town in a short time. Declining the offered cup of tea Caleb left the Rodney's and another hour later he wandered down the main street with nothing new to act as a clue, no one he'd spoken to had seen May or heard anything so it seemed plausible that May had played on her own, maybe wandered a bit close to the edge of town and then taken by the witch.

Maybe it would be a good idea to try to find out what sort of spells a witch would need a human for, if he could find out that maybe it could give him some clues to what the witch was after and search her out. Normally he'd have no idea where to find such information, he didn't exactly have a witch to ask, but in Ashwick Grove there was a place with such information, The Witch's Bottle, a small shop with all sorts of objects and books about witches and their craft, a lot of it was probably not of any real value since the church would close it up if there was any real witchcraft there but it would be the best and only place to find out about witches. A cool breeze blew through the town, rattling hanging signs and sneaked past every layer of clothes Caleb had on sending a slight chill down his spine and he sneezed.

He refused to believe he was getting sick, he'd felt fine just this morning, no it was just the sudden wind that teased out the sneeze but maybe going inside and try out some of the highly recommended tea at the Witch's Bottle would be a good idea. Just as with pretty much any location in Ashwick Grove it didn't take Caleb long to reach the shop, pushing the door open with one hand he stepped inside, looking around curiously, even though he hunted down witches for a living he wasn't too well versed in their craft and the myriad of old books and curious objects caught his eye. So caught up was he with the shop itself that it took some time before he spotted a young brunette, focusing his golden green eyes on her Caleb arched a brow slightly. Of all the places he had not expected to run into the priest's daughter here of all places, the innocent girl clashed more than a bit with the dark occult that surrounded witches.

"Miss. Thorne, I didn't expect to see you here?" He said and pushed back red strands that insisted on falling into his eyes. The warmth inside the shop was heavenly compared to the autumn chill outside and he became ever more certain he was not on the verge of becoming sick and that it was just a random occurrence. "I've never been in here before so I'm a bit lost, do you know where the owner is? Or would you perhaps know where I can find information on witch spells?" Caleb asked, if she was here then maybe the girl had been here before and knew where things where, the thought that she could be working there didn't hit him both because of her appearance and the fact that she was the daughter of a priest. "Especially those involving humans?"

 

[Elixir]

Rosette Thorne​

Rosette was casually and contently sipping on her tea at the desk perched right by the entrance of the shop. Her gaze flickered about the place when she heard the small bells fastened to the door jingle, and her honey glazed gaze soon fell on a familiar figure. "Oh, hello!" Rosette called out, flashing the red haired man a warm, friendly beam. "Miss. Thorne, I didn't expect to see you here?" The man spoke out, and surely he knew her by her name, but she never caught his. Many people knew Rosette as the priest's daughter, and soon her first name floated about, as well. It seemed as though many already knew her name before she introduced herself, though she still had to inquire others for theirs. "I've never been in here before so I'm a bit lost, do you know where the owner is? Or would you perhaps know where I can find information on witch spells?" He questioned, and immediately Rosette suspected that her father hired him to take the case of May Rodney.

"Especially those involving humans?" He added, and then it was completely confirmed. She gently pursed her lips together and nodded, finishing off her small cup of tea before standing back up and assisting the man before her. "I assume my father hired you to find the young May Rodney, yes?" She questioned as she tip-toed, gently running her ivory index finger against the book spines placed on the top half of the shelf. She read each title one by one, and soon she found a book that she knew he would find quite informative. "If you want to find a witch quickly, you must understand her motives and what she's seeking. Here's a book about some lore and spells, and it includes some reasons why a witch may wish to seek out a human - particularly a young child," Rosette gave a little hop to retrieve the book, for she wasn't the tallest broad around. She could still reach it, though, which is why she didn't ask the man before her for assistance.

Rosette took the book close to her torso, gesturing the man before her to a table where he could sit and read. She placed the book out on the smooth surface, beginning to flip through the pages. Not many know this, but Rosette is actually quite the bookworm. All of the books in this shop she has most likely read at least once. Some, she's even read a few times more. This book was one of those few, for Rosette knew it like the back of her hand. It was called "The Darkest Craft" by Frederick Dixon. It told all about the lore behind what many would just refer to as witches in general, though Rosette knew that this book applied to black witches alone. Not many people knew nor wished to realize that there are good witches in the world, hence the reason why you'll never see anyone referring to witches as black or white. It took a lot for Rosette to not call the "witch" figure she referred to in her earlier statement black, but she managed to refrain.

"The only reason a witch would wish to take a child is most likely as a human sacrifice," Rosette began, showing him the paragraph where the subject was mentioned. "This is an ingredient, fair say, required for the most diabolic of spells. They're normally the type that cannot be done at random times, either. Most of the time, it's during eclipses or towards certain holidays that witches celebrate - their Sabbaths," she stated, taking a look on the wall at the calendar. "September 30th? We're due to have a Blood Moon in October, probably around the 15th." She stated, placing a curled index finger against her charming pale pink lips. "That is bound to be quite the dangerous spell, indeed.." Her statement trailed off as she let out a sigh. She wished she could do more, but doing that would require her to publicly display her own craft. During this time of doubt and fear, people would only wish to burn Rosette at the stake, even if she claimed to wish to help.

"Good luck, sir," Rosette offered him a small smile, flipping him back to the first page of the book. "You can read the entire book through if you'd like, though I think the information you really wish to read about lies in chapters 3, 5, and 7." She stated, deciding to make her way back to the front desk. She stopped soon after she turned her back however, twisting back around to face the red haired man for a moment more.

"I'm sorry, but I don't believe I ever caught your name. I'm Rosette Thorne." She flashed him one of her signature, sweet smiles. Even though he already knew her full name, most likely, she still thought it to be polite to introduce one's self before asking another to do so.

"You are?"

 

[Elflady]

Caleb Revier​

​

"To be honest I was the one offering to help, but essentially yes, your father hired me to find the witch," Caleb said, his words emphasized by a nod. Although since he was, as far as he knew, the only witch hunter in town it was quite likely the priest would have sought him out sooner rather than later. "I'd love to be able to bring the girl back to her parents as well even if the chance is slim, I don't want to give them the news their child has been killed by a witch." He had not had many hunts where someone had been taken by a witch either, usually a witch left dead bodies in her wake or used dark spells but not too often did they take humans for their magic. "That sort of news isn't something anyone should be given." He added in a lower voice. Both in his own town and in many others had he seen what a witch could leave behind if she was full of malice, thankfully that was also not terribly common.

Caleb followed the girl to a table, not mentioning his slight surprise to find that the daughter of a priest worked in a shop like this, he had more expected her to just having visited the shop. Sure the church accepted the Witch's Bottle or else it would not be allowed to exist openly like this but it still struck him a bit odd that the young brunette would work in it considering who she was. "The 15th," he repeated thoughtfully, brought from his thoughts by her gentle voice. "Then would you say it's likely that the girl isn't dead yet? Does spells require living beings or do they function just as well with the dead?" These questions were probably easiest answered by a witch but since that would be hard to come by this shop would be the closest he'd get to witch advice, and hopefully Rosette had read the books here and could give him an answer. It would take him a very long time othewise if he would have to go through the books for the answer, in that case it would be far quicker to find the witch and thereby get the answer that way.

Although kidnapping a child for the spell this far in advance most likely hinted at the more negative outcome unfortunately, unless the witch had grabbed May in a spur of the moment, thinking the chance was too good to pass up. Another uncomfortable thought was about who the witch was, if it was a woman who just passed by, maybe finding Ashwick Grove fitting for her dark spell or was it perhaps a woman from the town itself? He hoped for the first option and judging by the small town, a place where everyone knew everyone and no secrets could be kept for long it was not very likely the witch was a local. Not likely but not impossible however.

Sitting down by the table, his gaze on the rather thick book that the girl was flipping through, or to him it appeared thick at least but Caleb didn't read much, not because he didn't like it but rather because of his poor background. His mother who had taught him how to read and write even though they didn't have many books so he wasn't illiterate, although his skill with the pen might not be something to show off. But after her death there was neither time nor money to waste on reading or writing. He didn't forget what he had learned but Caleb had no time to use it, when he left his home and met other witch hunters he dusted off his reading skills again when he trained to become one of the hunters.

What kind off human thought of others as ingredients, the minds of witches was something he couldn't understand whenver he thought he had heard it all something else came along, another sick action or dark spell. "I'll keep to those chapters for now I think, otherwise I will be here forever." He commented with an askew smile, small perhaps but it still reached his eyes. To be honest he probably should read a few of these books, not now when he was in a hurry but when the hunt was done, it was never a bad idea to know more about your enemy. When he happened upon books about witches he generally read them or at least skimmed through them. But it wasn't often you found a place with as much books about witch craft as this one.

"Caleb Revier," he answered, a man from a more piveliged past might have offered some more polite words or actions but Caleb settled for a warm smile, while he'd learned more manners later in his life he used them rather oddly, mixing non formal words and behaviour with polite ones. Any well mannered gentleman would probably shiver at his mixing of the two, essentially mixing the different social statuses by doing so.

A familiar tickle in his nose came without warning but somehow Caleb managed to hinder a sneaze just in time, remembering the other thing he had been planning to do at the Witch's Bottle. "By the way, I heard the tea is great here, would it be too much to ask to get a cup?" Normally he wasn't the most eager tea drinker, he didn't mind the taste but it just wasn't what he drank all the time if he could decide, but he had to admit that tea normally worked quite well with colds.

 

[Elixir]

Rosette Thorne​

Rosette smiled as the red haired man spoke, and she could tell that he possessed a compassionate heart. He just wants to return her back safely, she thought to herself warmly, rather than just receive the money or glory of capturing the witch. With a nod of approval, Rosette continued to listen to the man, offering him her full attention as she did so. As she gave him information about the Blood Moon due around the 15th, he questioned her. "Then would you say it's likely that the girl isn't dead yet? Does spells require living beings or do they function just as well with the dead?" He asked, and though Rosette knew the answer, she was a tad hesitant to give it to him. I wonder if he'll suspect that I practice the craft, she thought to herself as she gently bit down on her bottom lip. Or, perhaps he'll simply assume I study it.. I don't want to keep him in the dark. He deserves some reassurance, she decided, hooking some of her curly brown locks behind one ear as she answered him.

"She'll most likely have to be alive during the Sabbath," she began, remembering that it was actually stated somewhere in the book. Deciding to help him out a bit more, she began flipping through the pages, pointing to one that stated some spells relating to the Blood Moon. "This moon is very holy to witches," she began explaining, offering him a small smile as she went on. "Some darker spells require human sacrifices, and they're more likely to be sacrificed on that very night. A corpse wouldn't do much good. If that was so, then they could simply find someone who was already dead, rather than kidnap someone among'st the living," she stated, and she gave him a little more space soon after. Leaving the book in his hands, she told him the recommended chapters, and she couldn't help but let out a small laugh at his comment on ending up staying there in the shop forever. "If need be, I can keep this place open for you," she offered kindly, appreciating his work.

She knew that Mr. and Mrs. White wouldn't mind. They lived just upstairs, anyways, so it wasn't as though they needed to head back home upon closing time. If need be, Rosette could keep the shop open for a little while, simply closing up for them once the man took his leave. Countless amounts of times, Rosette actually ended up staying the night in the Witch's Bottle. She fell asleep reading many of the books there, and Mr. and Mrs. White would come downstairs the following morning to find her completely unconscious at one of their tables. Though, thanks to the kind hearts they possess, she'd wake up to the smell of tea or sweet coffee in the morning. Not once did they yell or lecture her, for many people in the town found Rosette far too endearing for that. Wanting to give someone else the same treatment so many have shown her, Rosette wouldn't mind watching after him at all. Deciding on that, she was about to take her leave, but then she realized she didn't know his name.

"Caleb Revier," he introduced himself after she inquired, and another sweet smile spread across her lips as he did so. "Caleb Revier," she repeated his name for herself, enjoying the way it rolled off of her tongue. "It's a pleasure to meet you," she stated, and she then listened as he asked about the tea they served here. Apparently Rosette wasn't the only one in town that knew how wonderful the warm beverages served at the Witch's Bottle were, and this fact made her smile grow even wider. "Yes, the tea is amazing here. The coffee is, as well," she stated, beginning to make her way towards the back where everything was prepared. "I'll bring you a cup right now," she began. "It'll be $1.00." With that, she reunited with Mr. and Mrs. White, both of them roaming about the kitchen. "Do we have a customer?" Mrs. White questioned as she prepared another batch of tea. "I heard a masculine voice," Mr. White stated, and Rosette nodded to the both of them.

"His name is Caleb Revier. He's studying about witches currently, and he'd like a cup of tea," she stated, and the elderly couple nodded thoughtfully. "I see, I see. He's one of them witch hunters, ain't he?" Mr. White inquired, and Rosette nodded once again in response. "Yes, he is," she stated, and Mrs. White handed her the cup soon after. "Here you go, dear," she stated, and Rosette took the cup with care. "We'll keep the shop open for as long as he needs, and that cup is on the house," she assured her, and Rosette couldn't help but feel glad. "Thank you," she spoke sweetly as she made her way back out towards the main room. She brought the cup back over to Caleb, placing it down on the table gently. "Here you are," Rosette spoke, her tone as sweet as honey. Her hazel eyes gazed over at them, a gentle and alluring twinkle shimmering about her irises. "Mr. and Mrs. White, the owners, assure me that you can stay as long as you need. This cup is on the house, too," Rosette smiled warmly.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

 

[Elflady]

Caleb Revier

​

"When you say it like that the answer seems obvious," he said with a shake of his head. It would certainly be easier for a witch to take a dead body rather than kidnap a living child so logically it could be safe to assume the child was safe for now. But Caleb was relieved to say the least over the Rosette confirmation, the chance to find the child alive was certainly good if she was correct and even if it made the task a tad more difficult since the witch would have a hostage it was the best outcome. "I'm sorry if I bother you with my questions though," he said realizing she might not know or have the time to answer them when he had the book right in front of him to read. "Perhaps it's not the most common question to a priest's daughter like yourself but since you work in a shop like this I just assumed you had read the books available here."

In his experience though most religious people, or just people overall, avoided to delve deep in witch craft even if witches and their deeds were popular topics in any tavern or gossip. But to actually study about witches that was most common of hunters even if it wasn't unhead off for regular people to be curious, and in Caleb's opinion it was better to know a lot about your enemy than to know nothing. Still, the daughter of a priest he wouldn't have expected to have such an interest, but then again he had not met that many, he did his job and then moved on without socialising too much except when he stayed in one place for a longer period of time.

"That's kind of you but hopefully I'll be out of your way before then," he replied with a small smile. Another difference between a small town and a large city, if he had needed something in a library or a bookstore in such a place then he would most likely have been kicked out when closing time came around. If he needed to finish the book for a hunt he'd have to buy or borrow it, which required money which wasn't something he had plenty of most of the time. But here it seemed the opposite, a nice change to say the least. "Although I have nothing against books I'm not exactly an avid reader." Not for a lack of interest though, more like a lack of money and the difficulty of carrying books with him when travelling and a lazy approach to find a place with books when in a town.

While the girl headed off to fetch him tea Caleb opened the book and flipped through it, the pages were thick and filled with neat writing and some illustrations added for emphasis here and there. Stopping up occassionally when a passage seemed interesting he found the parts that Rosette had told him, about the Sabbath and the Blood Moon and also a lot of other important dates like the equinox and nights with a new moon. Absorbed into the text by the time Rosette came back the red head would probably have jumped slightly in surprise if he had not gotten so much practice with keeping his cool. "Oh, thank you," He was a bit surprised by the generosity, yet another thing that differed between places he usually visited and Ashwick Grove.

"Actually there is one more thing you could help me with since you must be familiar with the area around here," he said, pushing back the book a bit to make room for the tea cup in front of him. "Are there many good places around here were a witch could stay hidden, with a child?" Of course there was that possibility that the witch didn't intend to stay close by for the Sabbath but since she had bother to kidnap a child from Ashwick Grove the chance was high she was still nearby.

Waiting for her answer Caleb lifted the cup and took a sip, it was hot but with a very pleasant aroma, and for a guy who wasn't too fond of tea even he had to admit this particular brand was very good. Putting the cup back down he cleared his throat, hoping to stop the itching in his throat to break out into coughs. Being very stubborn about his health he convinced himself it was just the smell or the heat that caused it not any sort of cold.​