A woman was standing comfortably in front of her, dressed in resplendent purple robes with gold and red accents. A long, black cloak trailed out behind her, its underside a velvety purple. Her face was sharp and angular, her dark eyes narrowed to slits, and her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders like a dark waterfall with yet more hints of purple in it. Her arms were crossed, and she looked cross.
“Well,” she said, “what do you have to say for yourself?”
Cerise swallowed. “Who are you?”
“I’m the Sorceress who owns this tower,” she replied coolly. “And who are *you*?”
Cerise bit her lip. “My name is Cerise. I — I thought this tower was supposed to be abandoned.”
“It isn’t,” said the Sorceress.
“I — I was just looking for help,” she said. “I have nothing. My village was overrun by orcs. They killed everyone but me. I had nowhere to go. The townsfolk said this tower had magic items, and maybe — if I found something strong — ”
“You could defeat the orcs, hmm?” said the Sorceress, taking a step forward. “Well, I suppose I’ve had to deal with worse. Most of the thieves who come here just want money. Your cause is perhaps a bit less selfish. That doesn’t mean you won’t be punished, of course.”
“Punished!?” Cerise took a step back.
The Sorceress stepped forward again. “Dearie, you broke into a sorcerer’s keep to steal magical artifacts. We can’t just let that go.”
“Please, no — ”
“Now, now, no blubbering,” said the Sorceress, stepping closer, and taking Cerise’s chin in her hand. She lifted it up, and looked into her eyes. “If you were a truly bad person, I’d have turned you into a slime the moment the lights came on, and you’d already be down below guarding my dungeons. You’re too innocent for a fate like that. But I can’t let an infraction go unnoticed, can I? Every thief in the land would be trying to invade my tower, and I’d never have a moment’s peace!”
“Please, just — let me go — and I’ll leave and never come back — ”
The Sorceress loosed Cerise’s chin, and leaned in close. “Dearie, I told you, I can’t just do that.”
Cerise sank down to her knees. “Then — ”
“But I’ll offer you a choice. You can choose to fight me — you could *always* choose to fight me — and if you become the victor, my tower is yours to do with as you please. Or you can try to escape, and if you do, I will use the strongest spells I can wield to punish you, and you will *wish* I had turned you into just a slime. Or you can accept my terms: That in exchange for your infraction, you will allow me to cast exactly one spell of my choice on you, and you will follow exactly one order I give you. Only one of each. After that, you’re free to go, let bygones be bygones.”
Cerise looked at her hands. “I can’t fight. I’m no fighter. I barely know how to hold a stick, much less a sword.” She looked over her shoulder at the sealed drawbridge. “Please, just let me go.”
“That was never in the cards, dearie, said the Sorceress darkly.
“Only one spell?” said Cerise, looking up.
“Only one. And I promise it won’t hurt. I have — a thing I’ve been wanting to try, and you’d make an excellent test subject.”
“And an order?”
“After that, you’re free to go.” The Sorceress crossed her arms, smiling through her ruby lips a dark smile that didn’t put Cerise at all at ease.
“Then — I guess — ” Cerise paused.