Pitch black and seemingly without moonlight Nachthexe slipped through the huts of her village. She moved quietly and without a whisper until she had gotten to the Leaders. Looking to the left, and then to the right before sitting back on her heels she listened intently for any sound of movement as there was no snap of any branches. As careful as she was sometimes when she was in her own thoughts her instincts dulled but she was sure no one had followed her into the veil of darkness. 

She never fit into the village and the people never accepted her as one of their own even though she had been born here. Both of her parents had passed from illness years prior. Calm and collected she had always been for her parents sake but now she could leave her mark on the village and make them suffer as they had made her. An eye for an eye seemed to be right this time. It was careful planning and a bit of luck to have a moonless night fall just so. 

Drawing the hood more closely to her to tie it a little more securely, her hands quickly pulling out a match and lighting it. Her eyes flashed in the flame as a smile grew upon her lips. Inching closer to the hut, she was about to put the match underneath before taking her leave when a hand grabbed her wrist. Dropping the match, she stepped on it to put it out as her whole body turned towards the mystery arm. 

"Are you crazy, Hex?" The words came out as a growl just as her head snapped upwards. "We have a boat to catch and no time for your vengeance. I've been looking everywhere for you." 

"You knew what I was planning Miguel and you just ruined everything!" Exasperated she glared at him. Her heart beat at the look in his eyes as she hated to make him worry after all they had been through here. "Give me a few minutes and I will meet you at the pier."

"They call you night witch already. Are you willing to cement their ludicrous ideas?" 

"Let them call me what they want. It is at night that makes the best cover. If it deems me a witch so be it." 

Turning on his heel he stomped off. Watching the broad back walk away from her, she sighed softly into the wind. They were not alike at all, she was cruel and vengeful where he just wanted peace. They were intertwined though as much as two people that have survived their hell could be. A sinking feeling that she assumed was guilt started to gnaw at her. 

Lighting another match, she flicked it under the hut before she changed her mind.

"May they remember the Night Witch for as long as they live."

Flipping the hood back up, she slipped back into the night to find Miguel at the Pier where he would be waiting with their boat to America. She was sad she would not be here to see the aftermath but it was time to go and make a new home. 

Six days on board the ship and Nachthexe was getting a bit sick of the sea. In the beginning of their journey she enjoyed rolling with the waves. Even the ones that came with the storms as she stood on deck watching what could only be seen as chaos around her. Bright eyes and with a quick wit she offered her help where she could. The Captain put her in charge of cooking but she had expected that. Nacht played the part as well as she could but after a week she was starting to get sick of the never ending water. Her soul begged to set something alight, to bring the flame in the dark. Her fingers curled up until her hands were ball of fists as she gazed at the blue blur ahead. 

"Storm's comin'" Miguel yelled down at her from his perch on the cabin up top. 

"If only you knew." Muttering to herself before she raised one hand and waved at him in acknowledgement. Her mood was growing dark after having been elated by the vengeance she could only imagine as she was pulled away too soon. Destruction and dark clouds were growing in her thoughts, tiring of playing the good girl to pass along on this boat.  

Miguel lied to get them onto the boat. He had told the Captain that they were newly married and looking to venture to America in hopes of making something of himself. The thought alone made her shudder. Their history together was one marked with many wars and very few moments of peace. They had met young, in school, as children often do. He had fit in with the rest of the village in a way she could never do. Among the dark haired kids, she stood out as bright as a flame. Her skin did not tan as theirs did, and she was constantly ridiculed for it. The other kids of their orphanage belonged to the village but were housed due to family dying of illness or accidents.

Nachthexe was an outsider through and through though. As the story was told to her, her parents had been on a ship passing by. Spotting the island the Captain of the ship anchored and had a young man row to the pier on the island where he proceeded to leave her in a basket. As he rowed back to his ship she had started crying in a rage as a storm started to brew on the water. An omen the village did not quite take a liking too so they called her Night Witch when they thought she could not hear them. When she was spoken about it was always in hushed tones until it was deemed acceptable to spew vitriol about her looks. In her teenage years when the Orphanage had kicked her out for not following the rules Miguel had run out with her. He had always been her side kick and something akin to her best friend. 

As they wandered from the only place they had known as home, she had turned to him. Her memory was clear as if it had happened yesterday. It was one moment of weakness that she could not stop herself from committing. Her body had turned towards him as she stopped abruptly. To this day she could not understand what caused her to make such a bold promise. The words sprang forth unbidden, fast and over before a second thought could cross her mind. 

"Us. No matter what comes next."

Looking at Miguel her heart sank. A promise that she couldn't take back and since that day they had both done whatever it took to survive. They had meant whatever it took. No job, or opportunity was too low for them if it meant another day. Every day, Nacht sat and plotted the revenge she would have over the village. Her mind went to many options depending on the opportunities. Poisoning the villagers, poisoning the livestock and allowing the villagers to die but the one she always came back to was fire. Something about the flames licking those smiles off the people that liked to torment her. Locking her secrets back where they belonged in the dark alleys of her mind. They were hers. 

Coming out of her long ago thoughts, she shook her head. After clearing her head, she headed towards their little room below deck calling up to him. 

"Food will be soon Miguel."

Heading to the cooking area she put her mind to the task. She would wonder what to do when they arrived at their destination. 

Another week had passed while Nachthexe tried to keep up appearances. Growing in the pit of her stomach was a resentment of the situation she found herself in, playing wife. Never wanting to be one, it ground on her last nerve that she had to pretend this was something she wanted. If only Miguel had asked her first then maybe she would have been more amenable. At the very least less angry about it. As the days passed, she become more closed off. Doing her chores and speaking as little as possible. 

Lately she had been putting a little oleander into Miguel's food. The sicker he got the more solitary she got knowing she was the cause of it. He had known her stance about marriage, as he knew much of her mind. How could he have done so? She knew. Of course she knew, but she didn't want to see it. The long looks, the way his eyes lit up when she entered, but it wasn't anything she understood because she did not feel that way. Nacht considered Miguel as a brother up until now. The land was starting to appear and she did not want to be tied to a lie when she began her new life so she added a much stronger dose to his food, a lethal dose. 

Later on when it looked as if Miguel may finally pass out of this world and into the next, she left to walk along the deck. One of the crew mates had promised to watch over him so she sent for him. She rather someone else watch her friend die, as she gathered her thoughts. Her eyes on the stretch of water between the boat and America. 

Gathering her strength she prepared herself for the next role she would play and hopefully the last. The grieving widow. Well at least as far as this crew would be aware. Looking up at the sky to pray that if she could just make it to the shore, she would do everything in power to never land herself in a situation like this again. No more play pretend, she would make something of herself as herself.

"Any day now and I will arrive." She muttered to herself.