The Frog Prince and the Witch Chapter 25
Translated by MissQ (ko-fi)
Chapter 25: The Witch Who Brought Salvation
At each town they passed, the horses were given time to rest, allowing Joanna and Ian to take breaks as well. They traveled through two or three towns each day, with Ian finding the journey quite enjoyable. However, the bumpy ride took its toll on Joanna; she struggled to sleep and didn’t appear to be in high spirits. Concerned for her comfort, Ian decided to let her lean against him, hoping his presence would help her relax and drift off more peacefully.
The coachman, a man employed by the royal family, was generally taciturn. He understood the importance of knowing when to be present and when to fade into the background. Yet, he was somewhat surprised by the prince’s eagerness toward this plain-looking witch. He knew that a witch was riding in the carriage, and he had even been present when the wicked witch attacked the palace. It was precisely this experience that made him feel old and ill-equipped to handle such sudden situations, prompting him to resign and return home. Yet, he hadn’t anticipated that the prince would be in the neighboring village, which led to him being called upon to serve as the coachman for this journey back to the palace.
However, no matter how he looked at her, he couldn’t see her as a witch; instead, she appeared to be a frail, sickly woman. Having not encountered many witches, the coachman had no basis for comparison, relying instead on the memory of the arrogant wicked witch who had left so brazenly that day. As time passed, his initial wariness faded, and he even began to wonder if the soldiers who had come to relay the message were overreacting. Could such a reserved and delicate woman truly be a witch?
That perception shifted dramatically after a particular encounter. It occurred during a relentless downpour that lasted for several days. From the first raindrop to the torrential rains that followed, they found themselves stranded in a town, forced to wait out the weather before they could resume their journey.
Just as they were dining in the inn's dining hall, townspeople rushed in with urgent news: a mountain flood had occurred, blocking the road to another town with debris. More importantly, a merchant caravan that had been heading to this town to escape the rain had been scattered and was seemingly buried under the mudslide!
Anxious individuals considered rushing out to save the trapped, but in such circumstances, it was likely they would not only fail to rescue anyone but might also lose their own lives in the process.
"My lady?" The prince's voice snapped the coachman back to reality. He turned to see the woman clad in deep blue and black, nearly blending into the outside storm, wiped her mouth with a napkin and stood up. She picked up a wooden staff from beside her and cradled the lizard and turtle resting on another chair in her arms.
"I'll be stepping out for a moment; you all wait here..."
"No, I want to go with you!" the prince interjected quickly, his tone laced with urgency, as if afraid she might abandon him. He added that he could keep up and was prepared to fetch the horses to pull the carriage.
"Pull the carriage? The horses will get sick in this weather," the witch shook her head and moved to the door, tossing the lizard outside.
In a remarkable display, the lizard transformed mid-air into a dragon, stunning everyone present. The witch deftly opened her small parasol, which magically shielded her from raindrops up to five meters away, and gracefully mounted the dragon's back. The prince, eyes wide with astonishment, quickly followed suit, climbing onto the dragon alongside her. With a powerful beat of its wings, the dragon ascended into the stormy sky, leaving the townsfolk gaping in disbelief.
The coachman disregarded the torrential rain pouring down after the witch's departure and hurried to harness the horses, galloping through the downpour. He had received royal orders to ensure the prince's safe return to the palace! Now, right before his eyes, the prince was being whisked away by a dragon—this was simply unacceptable!
When the coachman arrived at the site of the landslide, he found that the once-dreadful floodwaters were now blocked by a massive tortoise adorned with horns. The witch and the prince stood beside the muddy waters, untouched by a single raindrop. Meanwhile, the dragon that had just appeared, along with a mysterious black bird wreathed in blue flames, tirelessly pulled one drenched soul after another from the mire.
The witch tossed her small parasol into the air, its protective circle widening to shield all the survivors from the relentless rain. Despite her usual aversion to filth, she rushed to one survivor, examining their condition and administering pills with urgency. Though a few, regrettably, had already drawn their last breaths, there was no denying that her intervention had spared the majority from a tragic fate beneath the landslide.
“Miss, is there anything I can do to assist?” the coachman asked, hurrying forward to offer his help.
The witch nodded. "Yes, please find people with carts or carriages to help transport them back to town. See if there's an inn or any spacious place where they might rest for the night. They’re not in good shape and will need time to recuperate."
The coachman sprang into action, urgency propelling him forward.
The rescue operation stretched into half a day, with the witch diligently tending to the survivors, administering proper medication and care. After confirming that no one else remained buried in the mud, the dragon, the black phoenix, and the giant tortoise reverted to their original forms.
As the torrential rains continued to pour, Joanna, who had been sustaining the magic for her familiars, felt her energy waning. Once all the survivors were tended to, she finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep, missing the awed gazes of the townsfolk and the ardent look in Ian's eyes.
His goddess was truly as compassionate as he had always believed.