“You have to chew, dingbat.” He said glumly before retaking his seat and gnawing away again.

  “*WEEEZE* You said that- *GASP* She’s still alive?”

  “She’s very old and sleeps in her bed much of the time but she’s still with us to give her blessings of rains which keep the crops growing.”

  “I need to see her!” Siouxsie exclaimed.

  “Oh? Why?” asked Vickiri

  “Because I’ve never met another lightning user and…and…and…she’s the Lightning Witch! Please let me talk to her!”

  “And if I were to do so, what would you say to her?”

  “I would ask her a thousand questions!” Siouxsie gushed. “Please Vickiri! I’d ask her if she ever needed to use coins to guide her bolts when she was learning or is there another way to cast or can I make the lightning do more than just strike trees and people? Please take me to see her!”

  “Very well, since you seem so enthusiastic. Why don’t we go see her right now?”

  “Do you mean it? You really will?” she said, growing more excited.

  “Of course, dear Siouxsie. When you’re done eating, we’ll all go together.”

  “We’re done eating.” She said, with a serious glance at her brothers

  “Bumfqew?” asked Robert with a mouth full of meat and a surprised look.

  “Yes,” said Siouxsie. “You’ve already stuffed yourself like a pig on fruit and honeycomb. Take one last bite, it’s time to go see the Lightning Witch.” Robert replied by making oinking noises as he took three more bites and washed them down with a single long pull of wine. Everyone got up and the trio followed Vickiri around the east side of the temple to follow the long hill that led north. As they walked, witches continued to remove their hats and throw flowers.

  “For those who mourn.” They said.

  Once they reached the top of the hill, the four approached a lone small round hut six paces wide in diameter that sat apart from any others. Robert poked his sister and pointed to the loads of offerings of flowers and food and candles and charms and baskets and weapons stacked next to the door.

  “Please wait outside one moment while I speak with her attendant.” said Vickiri, pushing aside a small wooden door to gain entry. He vanished within for only a few moments before emerging. “She’s almost asleep. Please come in.” The trio followed and found themselves in a small room with a blanket blocking the threshold to the next. Next to the far wall, a bench waited for them with baskets beneath. High on the wall hung robes of every size.

  “The Lightning Witch can wear all of these?” asked Robert.

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  “No, no.” laughed Vickiri. “These robes are for visitors, for you. You see, the lightning witch’s body is charged with her very energy so I must ask that you remove anything from your person that is made of metal. Otherwise, you could receive a very nasty shock.”

  “I’m not getting naked.” said Robert.

  “No one is getting naked.” Ignatius said with a sour tone. “We’re changing into robes, so we don’t get shocked by her. Pay attention.” Vickiri disarmed and laid all of his things into a basket before taking a blue robe and draping it over himself like a very long sleep shirt. Ignatius followed by Siouxsie and finally Robert. Each donned the light blue material which was airy and light compared to leather garments. Siouxsie and Ignatius seemed to enjoy theirs, but Robert regarded the swap as unnecessary and hung the cloak with care on the wall as not to jostle the bats hanging within. He’d removed everything but the scarf he kept wrapped around his face. When they were all ready, Ignatius spoke in a low hushed tone.

  “This will be a very short visit.” He told them. “You must remember, she is very, very old and her voice is very faint so you must listen carefully. If she speaks, listen well. Some things make sense, and some things will not. If she begins to fall asleep, I will point my finger to my nose and that is your signal to quietly get up and we will come back to this room, agreed?”

  “Agreed.” Nodded the trio in unison.

  “Then come. She’s just inside.” Vickiri turned around and pulled the blanket to the side before stepping through. Once he did, he moved out of the way for the others to enter and slid it back. Siouxsie could not believe her eyes. Silently laid upon a simple wooden bad covered in blankets with her head and arms exposed was an old, old, woman with long hair as white as snow. The lines and wrinkles on her face were too many to count and her long fingers and hands were gaunt with age. Sitting next to the bed was a young pleasant woman dressed in the same blue robes as them who smiled as they approached. She held her hand out to show them the four stools laid alongside the bed for them to take seats upon. Vickiri took the one closest to the head of the bed followed by Ignatius, Siouxsie and Robert. “This is my wife, Aman. She is the personal attendant to the Lightning Witch.”

  “Doesn’t she have a normal name?” asked Robert which quickly garnered sour wide-eyed looks from his siblings. “Not his wife.” Said Robert. “The Lightning Witch. The lightning witch is her title, but wasn’t she born with a name like the rest of us?”

  “That’s actually a very good question.” Said Aman. “We do not know it. If she did, it was lost in time. She has been very old even since before we were born. The earliest written accounts say she has always been referred to as ‘sister’, so that’s what we call her.” Vickiri leaned forward toward the woman and spoke:

  “Sister, oh sister please wake up. We have some special guests who have come a very long way just to see you.” The old woman who was as still as a tree began to stir a little. To everyone delight and surprise she turned her head toward their host and opened her eyes!

  “Is it…the end of summer?” The Lightning Witch said in a voice just above a whisper.

  “Yes sister, almost.” Said Vickiri wide a wide smile. The old woman lowered her chin to see who else was in the room. Upon seeing the trio, her thin lips came together and turned up at the ends to become a warm smile. “You’re all so beautiful.” she said. “Especially this one.” She pointed a weak finger at Ignatius.

  “Thank you, sister.” Said the silver haired witch who reached out to take her hand and hold it between his. “It’s an honor to meet you. These are my siblings, Siouxsie and Robert.” The head dropped down a little further to see them better. The eyes squinted.

  “Lightning and fire.” She said in an almost inaudible register. “And you,” she looked back to Ignatius. “Wind and fire both.”

  “Yes, that’s correct. How did you know?”

  “I have always known.” she said, taking her other hand and placing it atop his to pat it. “So handsome.” She looked down again upon the twins. “That one.” she pointed another finger in their direction that neither one could tell which she was pointing at.

  “Me?” they each asked in unison.

  “Always so angry.”

  “Oh, she definitely means you.” Smiled Siouxsie.

  “Such…fire and passion. But you,” the finger moved a little more toward the girl. “You’re just like me. Come,” she said, pulling her hands away from Ignatius to hold her arms out for her. “It’s been so long.” Vickiri and Aman’s faces became expressions of profound awe as Siouxsie not only moved closer but climbed into the bed! Ignatius watched closely as their host seemed almost beside himself, as though his sister had walked into their library and smeared pig shit upon all the tomes. But no one spoke. Each set of eyes in the room stayed upon the pair in the bed as Siouxsie snuggled up to the old woman and laid one arm across while the Lightning Witch cradled one arm beneath her and held her close with the other draped across to hold the girl. For moments on end, none dared to move to speak. Ignatius looked again to Vickiri who in turn looked to his wife who gave no reply other than a clueless but smiling shrug.

  “My sister has always been very affectionate to strangers.” said Robert, trying to clear the air.

  “Why don’t we give them the room?” Offered Aman, making a gesture for the rest to move toward the exit. The others awkwardly sidestepped between the stools and the bed. Once across the threshold to the changing room, Vickiri spoke in an excited but hushed tone as he pulled the blanket across

  “This is unprecedented!” he spoke. “Never in all the time has our sister been our care has she ever moved or spoken so much!”

  “That’s the most you’ve gotten out of her?” asked Robert which garnered a swat across the back of the head from his brother