Note # 12 : Amethyst Bay

It wasn't long before you saw the Crone's Cottage that the wolf had spoken of and you welcomed the sight. Just the thought of sitting for a bit to rest your sore and tired feet was a thought that made you walk a bit faster.

Knock knock.... no answer.....You lifted your knuckle to announce your arrival one more time, when the heavy rounded door opened with a creak.

"Who, be there?" a crackled voice called out.

You announce your name. "I am a Questing Witch on the trail of villains that have stolen a precious treasure and I have traveled many days."

The elderly woman widened the door and the smell of herbs, and freshly baked bread filled your nostrils.

You smile as she invites you in to join her and a friend that had also just arrived. Two women seemed to be bubbly and giddy at seeing another to pass the day with.

"You must sit for a bit and have bread and tea with us. Sit! sit!!"

You do not object as the overstuffed chair looks very inviting. You look around and see herbs of every sort hanging on rafters. A large iron cauldron sits bubbling near the fire on the hearth. A brew of tea hangs on a swinging iron arm spit. What a homey little cottage this is!

The two ladies chatter happily as tea steeped in earthen cups. Jam and lemon curd was set on a small table near the overstuffed chair you have melted into. You bend down and start to rub your aching feet.

"You, your feet hurt, Dear?" the lady of the house asked.

"Only when I think about it...they are throbbing since I got off them, but they will be fine.", you assure her.

She 'tut-tut's a wave in your direction and says, "I have just the thing for them!! Take off your footwear and allow me to treat you my new friend."

She scurries to the cauldron and dips some of the water out then looks up and picks several things from a cupboard..and then goes to another and takes out vials of something ...you can not tell what. With a smile she mixes and mumbles as if to be speaking some incantation to herself..

"Now now, Myst, you are acting just like a mother hen!", her friend spoke up for the first time. She turns to you and smiles saying, "She misses her children who have been gone for many years and never see her..that is why I come all this way ...I live in Wiccanstead, you know...and I love to walk here. The time walking keeps us young!"

You smile and thought that they looked anything but young, but you would not say that, as they seem so sweet and happy that you had come.

Myst brought a pan of just-right temperature liquid and sat it down in front of you. "Just relax and put your feet into this. It will soothe you, and allow you to have less pain and more energy for your trek, as you have said you have much further to go."

You nod and sigh as you feel the relaxing potion take the ache away. The aroma reminds you of your grandmother's flower garden. How wonderful it feels!

As you sit and soak in ecstasy, you listen to the two friends as they tell stories. They paint in words, several tales of humor and tragedy... but one catches your attention in their ramblings as the two women talked about a relative that went wrong and the trouble she is having with dealing their relationship.

Myst's sister had turned to the dark side of magick and become evil and even gone so far as to change the name the Goddess, Herself had given her as a babe by turning it backwards to enhance her evil powers.

There were stories that she wore the vile moniker written on a brooch as a talisman, but the crones had never seen it.

Last they heard, the sister was living on the other side of the island and hanging out with trolls and pirates.

Her evil had become so twisted and powerful, the only way to destroy her evil was to shout out her real name to her face. But that wasn't likely to happen since the crone was the only one left living who knew it and her wicked sister had attacked her psychically years ago and wiped it from her memory.

Soon the tea was gone and the day was well ready to call you back to its journey into the night. You bid your thanks and farewells to the pleasant ladies and wish them Goddess Blessings. Now you know it was time to go up the coast to find the trail of the band of thieves.

The Crones each grab you, hug and kiss you as if you were one of their own children and filled you with a bundle of breads and teas that would help with your nourishment on your journey. They are such sweet witches and ones you would come back to visit one day.

BE SURE TO USE THE LINK IN THESE INSTRUCTIONS TO REPLY TO THE QUEST ... Do not click "reply" on your e-mail from us

(You must go the the Bath & Body board and find the foot bath recipe and send to Qyzida at [email protected] .)