plot help needed!

[almach]

Hey everyone! I hope you're having a lovely day. I come to you with a humble request for assistance because my characters are being stubborn. (And lo, no author was surprised that day.)

I need help figuring out the end of Act 1 in my current medieval(ish) fantasy short story.

Here's the situation. You're a warrior from a kingdom where magic is outlawed, sent to hunt down and bring back the head of a witch who has made an (unsuccessful) attempt on the prince's life. You find her deep in the forest, coaxing a plant back to life under her hands. Inexplicably, she knows your name before you say a word to her. (Creepy.)

You shoot three arrows at her: the first two hit her but she's not affected like a normal person would be, and the third one she redirects with a wave of her hand and it falls to the ground. She says if you try anything more extreme (like decapitation or fire-setting) she'll kill you, but if you turn around now and leave her alone, she won't hurt you. However, you know that if you return to your kingdom without proof of the witch's death, the court will have you executed for failing to perform your duty to the crown.

What do you do, and why?

ETA: You people are wonderful! I think I know roughly where I'm going with this. Will post the link here when I'm done.

Comments

[foxinthestars]

Just read your reply above, and I'm thinking that magic being different than stories/expectations does have potential for building the warrior's fascination. Thinking along erotic lines, like, maybe he'd been told that magic was life-sapping (read: castrating/impotence-inducing --- this is something witches were often accused of in real life), but then the healing of the plant could be a good opportunity for suggestive (but horror-tinged) pseudo-erection imagery, the skeletal husk of the plant becoming firm and fleshy and suffused with vital juices and all that. Okay, that was a bit shameless, but I hope it helps.

[almach]

This is a really interesting idea, thank you! I hadn't even thought of playing with expectations vs. reality because I kind of had it in my head that he doesn't have specific expectations (on account of never having seen magic, like you mentioned) but it makes much more sense for him to have some (horrifying and wildly exaggerated!) expectations based on what he's heard. After all, things that are shameful/illegal are always the target of inappropriate drunk jokes, and I'm sure he's heard a few of those. (I totally appreciate your shamelessness, btw.)

[foxinthestars]

Happy to help!