Journey Through the Place between Places: Meet the Witch of Blue Note

It's interesting how this post dovetails with last week's talk on favorite characters. Several Helping Hands Press authors are participating in a summer reading blog tour where we introduce our blogging audience to our stories.and characters. As usual for me, the introduction of my favorite character from my fantasy novel Whispers from Forbidden Earth has taken a slightly darker turn . . .

My name is Jai. I was born as you see me, with useless eyes. Yet I see in ways very few can. Perhaps I’m the only one still alive on the vast world of Eversong with spirit-sight. I don’t know. I have not sensed anyone else for many years.

Since the days of the Bothers’ War, three-hundred years past, the good ancient races of Eversong have despised and mistrusted my people for the Old Knowledge that we keep. Even the pixies and gnomes mistrust us. The trolls hate us, but isn’t that the way with trolls?

Until recently, arrests and trials and hangings have dogged us because of the Old Knowledge. It always angers and saddens me, but it never surprises. Most don’t trust what they don’t understand, or in the case of the clueless magi holed up behind the glistening walls of the castle Haven-Rest, what they don’t try to understand.

Now my people of the Old Knowledge are few. We live as outcasts in tiny hovels next to the fetid, stagnate water of the river named Blue Note. We are ignored and forced to fend for ourselves. We are mostly forgotten, but not totally, for mistrust and fear still run deep. Perhaps fear runs deepest for me as I lead my people of the Old Knowledge.

All of the ancient races call me the Witch of Blue Note.

Yes, all the ancient races fear me, yet one lone soul now seeks me. A gnome approaches Blue Note, riding a winged griffin. I suddenly see him with my spirit-site, I know him, though I have never met him, and I understand why he seeks me. Such is the Creator’s gift, unexpected and beyond my control.

Eversong faces danger not seen since the Bothers’ War and this lone gnome is convinced I am the only one who can help. I am the keeper of the Old Knowledge whom everyone fears. I am the blind Witch of Blue Note everyone mistrusts.

We will see what this gnome has to say.