heart-eating witches
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Beata is... lucky, overall. Lucky not to have to live a peasant's life, lucky to have the potential for magic, lucky to be apprenticed to a witch. Lucky to be apprenticed to White Jaga instead of Red Jaga or Black Jaga, and not caught up in that rivalry. Morning dances between Midnight and Midday, playing its own game.

For most of Beata's time with her, White Jaga has been aligned more with Red Jaga, leaving Black Jaga alone, shrouded in the far depths of the forest. Beata doesn't mind. She likes Marynka, her Midday counterpart. Marynka is passionate, full of life. She enjoys things, relishes in the experience of living.

She's never actually met Black Jaga's apprentice, only seen the signs of their passing. She thinks that one must be a cold sort to have done the things they did. And Marynka obsesses over the unseen Midnight, focused on a rivalry that Beata half-suspects is entirely one-sided.

Now, though Morning and Midday are being sent out together, to hunt the same prince cooperatively. White Jaga and Red Jaga made an agreement to share the heart's power, which means Beata and Marynka won't have anything between them on this trip. She's looking forward to it.

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"I've never taken a pure heart before," Marynka says lightly, a skip in her step as she and Beata set out. Pure hearts are just about a rumor for her; Red Jaga speaks longingly of their bitterness, of the swelling of magic with each bite, but Marynka knows her own heart - and most of the ones she's taken - is likely as wicked as they come.

The thought of taking such a pure heart - turning it and the hope the prince brings everyone into nothing but a meal for Grandmother - is a bit sad, she thinks the way burning a wonderful tapestry is sad, but, well. 

Sacrifices must be made. 

She pushes aside her uneasiness, into the firey box in her center where she shoves all her bad feelings and doubts. "And it'll be Karnawał! Warszów is already unbelievable... Can you imagine it during Karnawał?"

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"A grand sight, I'm sure. I just hope you won't be too distracted by all the festivities."

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"I can focus when needed." Hum. "And Midnight will definitely be there - I can't afford to lose to her again." Partially because of her pride and natural competitiveness, partially because of how Red Jaga would definitely follow through on her threats to kill Marynka.

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"You've got me this time."

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"An unbeatable team."

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"Midnight won't even get a chance."

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"Maybe just enough of one to see me snatching it from in front of her."

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"Does she really deserve it?"

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"What, watching me kick her ass for once?"

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"Why not just leave her with nothing and no explanation? Turn the tables."

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"But then I couldn't see her face..."

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Yes that's the point.

"Then you'll have to figure out who she is first."

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"Could be an advantage of a run as tough as this... I'll have a chance to really scope her out."

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"Don't forget about scoping out the actual target."

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"I can multitask."

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"Uh huh."

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"It's like you don't have faith in me."

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"It's just you're a little, um, distractible."

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"Slander and lies."

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"So that time when we were at that castle to the east last spring, with the three cakes and six cats...?"

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"Any reasonable person will stop to pet cats when she sees them."

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"And some unreasonable ones too, huh."

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"Exactly so."

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Heh.

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A two-story inn - windows glowing with warm light - comes into view through the falling snow. There's a carriage sitting off to the side of the building, though it seems any horses are tucked into the stable. 

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