Who: Isobel and Lois What: Chatting about Isobel's 'condition.' When: Sometime within the last week. Where: Isobel's home Status: Closed; Completed G-doc
Lady Isobel paced her quarters nervously as she awaited the arrival of her most trusted, loyal friend. Lately, she’d been experiencing strange occurrences. When she’d look at something, it would suddenly move. Sometimes, when she was in deep conversation with someone, the world would shift and she’d been somewhere else entirely. The person would seemingly be hanging on her every word, malleable to any potential abuse she could place upon them, and it was only with realization of what she was doing could she suddenly break free. It scared her. These…powers scared her.
It was clearly witchcraft of the highest order, but Isobel was frightened. She didn’t ask for these abilities nor did she want them. Clearly, someone had cursed her, but what could she do? And worse, what if someone actually remembered what she did to them? Or saw her move something?
Isobel found herself trembling and she reached for her wine glass, downing the rest of the contents quickly. Lois would be here soon and she could finally reveal all of this turmoil she’d been dealing with for months. Her friend had to understand and help her. They’d known each other since childhood and told one another everything. Surely this would be no different. Oh Lois was a bit of a gossip, but never about anything Isobel said to her.
Lady Lois had been counting down until visiting and catching up with Isobel, who was one of her most valued friendships ever. She couldn’t even imagine her life without Isobel considering they had been friends for as long as either could remember and their families close before that. The other woman was family as far as she was concerned, and oh, did she have some gossip to share with Isobel about some of the individuals they both knew and some they did not. The whole ride to Isobel’s had only increased the urgency for Lois sharing what she knew. She had never been good at keeping what she learned inside unless it was about people close to her. Very, very few fell under the safe category when it came to her gossip.
If Lois had been caught off guard with the news that she had heard, then she knew it was going to have the same impact on her friend when it was passed along. Entering into the room where Lady Isobel was waiting for her, Lois smiled at her best friend and the look upon her face probably told the other woman everyone in that she had some news. “How are you, dear? You will not believe what I was told today by someone close to me,” she said before even sitting down. The news needed to be told before Lois exploded because of not sharing the details, especially to Isobel.
At the sight of Lois, Isobel smiled in return. Despite the secret weighing on her shoulders, Isobel was still pleased to see her close friend. Also, she was never one to turn down hearing a little juicy gossip herself. Being close to Lois meant she heard a lot of it too. Though part of her did worry what would happen if she confided in Lois about her abilities, she also believed Lois would keep her secret simply based on their friendship alone.
Taking the other woman’s arm, Isobel led her over to the sofa and claimed a seat. Gently, she tugged the other woman down beside her, blue eyes shining with curiosity despite her own anxiety. “I’ve been better and I do have something to tell you. Something important, but you must satisfy my curiosity first about how you are and, well, that little bit of gossip you just tempted me with.”
Lois was always happy to share the gossip she learned, whether it was fully complete or not, with the people close to her, especially those she felt were her friends. Isobel had always been an important person in her life, and was, most of the time, always the first to know about any gossip that she managed to come across. If not first, then usually in the next few, but Isobel was always near the top in learning what Lois knew. Allowing Isobel to lead her over, Lois followed her friend and took a seat on the sofa next to the other woman. A look of curiosity and concern mixed all over her face on hearing about how not only did Isobel have something to tell her, but that she’d been better. For her love of gossip, Lois did worry about her friends, and the fact that something was wrong had Lois quite concerned. But she was willing to put her feelings of concern to the side for the moment because of the need to share with Isobel the gossip that she had. "Only because I tempted you, but then you must share what is so important, okay?" Lois' voice was stern, showing that as much as she was always happy to gossip, the issue Isobel was dealing with came first. Or more like second, considering the tiny bit of gossip coming first. "I haven’t figured out who the person is yet," she added, since it was only a matter of time before Lois would have that, "but I heard a certain man has been spending nights with someone who isn’t his wife." Lois had a few ideas on who it could be, but she had to find out who it was before letting it be known to others besides her best friend.
“Of course,” Isobel assured Lois with another smile. “Now do share that gossip.” The blond leaned in, listening intently as Lois spoke of a man spending nights with someone that wasn’t his wife. Fascinating. For a moment, Isobel forgot all about her own problem and focused on who it could have been that was having this secret affair.
“I wonder who it could be. I have no doubt in my mind you’ll find out, Lois. You’re so good at digging up the details on these rumors,” Isobel replied. “And then you must promise to tell me first because now I am very curious.” Affairs were far from uncommon, but when details could be solidified? It made it all the more scandalous for sure.
Of course, now Isobel had to make good on her end of the deal so to speak. The blond reached for her friend’s hand and briefly squeezed it. Lois had to understand. They’d been friends for years after all. After taking a deep breath, she looked up and met her friend’s gaze.
“Lois, I’ve been-I’ve been experiencing strange…accidents lately,” Isobel explained carefully. “Like things moving without me touching them.” She figured venturing into the explanation of the other world where she could convince people to do something could come later. If at all. What she just described sounded like witchcraft even without the other details.
Lois beamed at the compliment even though Isobel was right on how she was good at always getting to the bottom of the gossip and learning who was the one being talked about. Was the gossip always accurate and true? Not always, but hey, she wasn’t about to dig that deep unless it came with something more to the story. If people didn’t want to be talked about, they’d keep their dirty laundry away from wandering ears. In her mind, the person was looking for the attention and to be noticed, which was why they drew the attention. Another thing that wasn’t fully true, knowing how some of her gossip came to be, but no one needed to know that.
“I promise you’ll be the first person I tell once I find out! I could never leave you hanging, especially once I obtain the whole story and I have to share it with someone who will enjoy it as much as myself,” she squealed slightly as if someone asked for her hand in marriage, but she got enjoyment out of gossip talk with her best friend. “There is no one in the world who’d come close in enjoying the gossip as much as myself like you.” And it was one of the reasons why Lois loved her friend like family and was always so happy to come around with or without gossip.
The look of concern and worry returned back to Lois’ face when she saw the way her friend was looking, but also Isobel taking her hand and squeezing it. That squeeze had Lois terrified on what might be going on with her friend and how whatever it was had been something she was dealing with along. Squeezing back, Lois encouraged her friend, “You can tell me.” There was nothing her friend could say that would have Lois running off to gossip…or at least, that was what she was telling herself.
A brief terrified look came over Lois when hearing about this, but she refused to even believe that Isobel was behind whatever was going on. There was no way her best friend was involved with….that. No, there was no way. Still holding Isobel’s hand, she frowned and lowered her voice as if someone might overhear them. “Did you have a run in with any of those witches that have been accused? I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them put a spell on someone to try to ruin their lives all because they choose a horrible path to wander down.” Lois would find out whoever had put a spell on her friend to where the girl was suffering from whatever the witch had tried to do to Isobel who had never done anything to that person.
While she expected the terrified look, Isobel still felt her heart sink in her chest. Even her best friend, the woman who’d been with her through some of her worst times, was frightened of her. Who was she to turn to now? Perhaps it would be best if she just turned herself into the church, allowed them to do with her what they would, but deep down Isobel didn’t want to die. The only way to prove you weren’t a witch was to not survive death. The thought of being cursed with witchcraft was terrifying, but so were the consequences if you happened to be caught.
At Lois’s question, Isobel thought back to her recent visits into town and any events she’d attended. It was entirely possible she could have brushed shoulders with any of them by accident. “It’s possible, but I can’t remember Lois. It doesn’t matter my friend. If they find out I’m a witch, they will kill me along with anyone I name who could have possibly cursed me.” There was no happy ending for her if anyone found out about her being a witch.
Her eyes refocused on Lois’s face, desperation visible in the depths, and she gripped her friend’s hand tightly. “Please, don’t say anything, Lois. I beg of you.”
Anyone in their right mind would be terrified, but Lois had to believe someone did this to her best friend. There is no way her friend would ever do anything to become a witch. People who did that were the ones beneath them. Someone had done something to Isobel and for what reason? It was highly unlikely Isobel did anything to them considering she was one of the nicest people around. Lois could admit that she’d be the one who did something before Isobel ever did to an individual.
“Hey,” Lois told her, squeezing her hand again and then pulling her into a hug. “No one is going to kill you. Someone had to curse you, and the question is which witch decided to do that and why. Think back to when this started happening. Did you have any rude interactions with someone? Something that could end up taken the wrong way?” Lois had sat back once again to focus on her friend, hoping maybe something would spark in memory for Isobel. If they could figure out who may have cursed her friend, then maybe they could get the person to reverse it or things would be told. Once everything was fixed, then Lois would let it slip for the person daring to put a spell on her friend.
Lois knew she wasn’t the best at keeping her mouth shut on big things; however, she was determined to try for her best friend. Though she was very much not having faith in herself, not that she’d ever admit that to Isobel. She did not need that on her plate the fear of Lois letting it slip. “I won’t. Your secret is safe with me, and we’ll find a way to fix whatever is going on.” Now Lois just had to find a way to keep what she just said as true, knowing she needed to try to keep her mouth from blabbing about this new secret.
Lois pulled her into a hug and Isobel eagerly returned it, taking comfort in her friend’s embrace despite knowing how difficult it would be Lois to keep her secret. Her best friend lived for knowing gossip and spreading it. Yet, there was no one else that Isobel trusted more. If her family found out, they would ship her off to the church immediately. Being nobility, they could not afford the heavy scrutiny that would surely come if they defended Isobel. No, Lois was the only one she could tell.
And despite the risk she was taking, Isobel did feel a tiny bit of relief at finally sharing her secret with someone.
The two separated and Isobel focused on her friend’s question. Was there anyone she’d angered? Isobel went to many parties and ventured into town at least twice a week. It was difficult for her to think any of those she went to fancy parties with were out to harm her. They were all wealthy, but she supposed someone could envy her. Though, it was more likely a peasant would envy her and that would mean her curse had to occur during a trip in town. Oh, but the blond just wasn’t sure and as much as she wanted to push the blame on someone else, she couldn’t specifically name anyone who was angry with her.
Finally, Isobel sighed, tears burning in her eyes, and she shook her head slowly. “I just don’t know, Lois. Oh, I want to name someone, anyone, but I just can’t. There is no one else I can place the blame on.” And she so desperately wanted to.
Tugging out her handkerchief, Isobel blotted her eyes and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. At least Lois wasn’t going to tell anyone even if she could name who had cursed her. Her secret was still safe. The blond took her friend’s hand and gently squeezed it.
“Thank you, Lois. I knew I could trust you. And perhaps with your trusty ears you could hear something about someone cursing me? You always manage to find the gossip no one else does. Maybe you can find out something about my…condition.”
Lois was never good at keeping secrets and gossip to herself, especially when it was something big and juicy. All the times she kept what Isobel had said to her was because it wasn’t all that big to where it was needing to be told to others and it had always been easy to push it out of her mind. This though? Well, this was on a different level and it was going to put Lois to the test on fighting the urge that was already showing up. As she sat here with her best friend, the secret was itching to get out; however, she was determined to try the hardest she had ever tried to keep people from finding out. Everyone knew what happened to people who were accused or pointed out for witchcraft, and Lois did not want to see her friend in danger.
That was probably going to be the only thing that maybe got her to avoid letting it slip. But even as she hoped for that, she knew this was going to be the hardest thing she had ever done. Oh, how she hoped she could keep her promise cause if not, Lois knew she’d lose her best friend in more ways than one.
Seeing the look on Isobel’s face and the tears, Lois wanted to find a way to help her best friend. To find whoever did this and get them to fix what they had done to Isobel. It had to be someone jealous of the woman, Lois couldn’t see any other reason for it. “I had to ask, and hope maybe you thought of or remembered something. It would make things easier; however, if they had been that obvious, they’d probably be accused already. The person who did this probably knows how to hide what they are doing,” she spoke with a sigh, hating that Isobel was having to deal with this.
Her heart broke on seeing Isobel dealing with this, and to have whoever behind it walking without probably a single remorse or thought about the impact it was having. Squeezing her friend’s hand, she tilted her head with a small smile. “I’m already planning to talk to a few of the ones I get my information from to see if they know anything. Someone has to know something, and I won’t rest until I get a name or find the person. You can trust me that I’ll find whoever had the nerve to do this to you, and they will be accused once I get them to fix what they did to you.” Lois felt they deserved whatever came to them once they took the curse off Isobel. “How about we have some tea to cheer you up a bit? Then I must head out and I’ll see what I can learn.” And hopefully, not go spilling the giant secret.
Reassured by her friend’s words, Isobel nodded, agreeing with the suggestion of tea. Nothing calmed her more than a hot drink, complete with a few cookies from the baker in town. “Yes, let’s have tea and then I’ll let you go. I knew I could rely on you, Lois. Thank you for everything.”
Hopefully, her friend would learn something that could help her. Her fate, after all, resided in Lois’s hands.