Emma stood in line at the local cafe, "The Right Stuff Coffee," waiting to order her beverage. Rocking up and down on her heels idly, she stared at the menu, right up until the point when the person behind her poked her in the back. "Excuse me, miss, are you planning on ordering any time soon?" the person behind her asked. Emma jumped, having not realized that the line in front of her had dissipated, everyone having ordered. "Um, yes," she said to the person behind her. Stepping up to the counter, she dug through her pockets, looking for her wallet. Distractedly, she placed her coffee order: "Could I have a uhm, vanilla latte please? With uh, oat milk and lavender?" Shit, where is my wallet? was the thought playing out in her brain as the barista confirmed that she did in fact want a vanilla latte with oat milk and lavender. Fumbling in her bag quickly, she extracted her wallet, and paid for the latte. Mildly embarrassed by how long it had taken her to just order a single coffee, she slid into a corner bench seat from where she could watch the whole cafe. A few minutes passed, she picked up her drink from the counter, and she slipped back into the corner. Not long passed before a slight shadow was cast over her table, and a soft voice spoke: "Mind if I sit here?"
Emma looked up from her ever-present novel to see another person, of indeterminable age or gender standing at the side of the table. "Oh, no, go ahead," she said, frantically clearing the detritus that had accrued on her table. "I'm Hecate," said the person. "Like the goddess?" Emma asked. "Yes, like the goddess," they laughed. "I do dabble in the magicks of the ancients as well, so I suppose it's an apt name." Emma must have flinched, although she didn't remember doing so, because they spoke with a more reassuring voice: "I promise, it's always safely. I don't go messing around where mortals were not meant to." Emma nodded along, reassured: "I see."
"I do dabble in the fortune magicks, however," Hecate continued. "And I chose to sit here today with you because I saw your fortune while standing in line. You should not go to the forest today, there is a library calling your name."
"A library?"
"Yes, a library."
Emma looked up from her ever-present novel to see another person, of indeterminable age or gender standing at the side of the table. "Oh, no, go ahead," she said, frantically clearing the detritus that had accrued on her table. "I'm Hecate," said the person. "Like the goddess?" Emma asked. "Yes, like the goddess," they laughed. "I do dabble in the magicks of the ancients as well, so I suppose it's an apt name." Emma must have flinched, although she didn't remember doing so, because they spoke with a more reassuring voice: "I promise, it's always safely. I don't go messing around where mortals were not meant to." Emma nodded along, reassured: "I see."
"I do dabble in the fortune magicks, however," Hecate continued. "And I chose to sit here today with you because I saw your fortune while standing in line. You should not go to the forest today, there is a library calling your name."
"A library?"
"Yes, a library."
