Chéri scratched his head, but seemed interested “Like how? What could the do to make it worse?” he seemed fairly invested in the narrative.

Chéri started pondering and ended up nodding “So maybe she should invest some time in banishing all the undesirable from around her house? But how will she have visits? Will she like like… none of them?” Chéri batted the eyes “Why would she care about those children? That sounds like a lot of work for the poor witch!” He protested, while scratching Archimedes a little more, before grabbing his glass of wine and gulping some of it.

Christine shook her head rather matter-of-factly. "They could damage it further, or make low grade gingerbread that crumbles or gets soft and bring down an entire wall. I think she would do better to get rid of them myself." She says in agreement to the idea of getting out the 'undesirables'.

"You know she probably enjoys her friends, and the kids were a cheap and easy meal since they were unwanted by their own parents. Witches tend to eat children in these stories, though I don't know why. There is far better things to eat. Probably she would just use the kids as they are cheap labor, all she has to do is let them sleep on the floor and feed them scraps until they repay the damage they've done unless they manage to do more to earn more." She said as she sipped her wine. "How about I read another story?"

Chéri ben his head back and started to look at the ceiling thoughtfully. Maybe it made sense. He wrinkled his nose, closed his eyes and sipped another bit of wine. “Makes sense. So she sends them back after she had fed them?” He asks about the end of the story.

Chéri nodded approvingly, not shocked by cannibalism nor child labour, apparently, then added “Maybe she had just too much to do to look for something better.” The concept sounded absurd, ti somewhat fun as well. “But also, isn’t directing those cheap kids more work than anything? Maybe you are right, she should use magic and invest in a system to keep them away from her artwork.” Then he couldn’t keep it anymore. He laughed out aloud and sipped a little bit more wine, abandoning his head to the side, where his hand could hold it without bothering Christine “You are funny.” Then nodded.

Christine shrugged. "She'll send them back when she's done with them maybe. Or she will keep them if they prove useful? Not like they have any place to go."

She grinned and shrugged. "It could be a dream come true though for her. Perhaps she always wanted a house made of gingerbread. " The woman mused and rest a hand on her knee as she sipped the last of the wine in her glass. "They would be more work than their worth -at first! If they learn and work well, then they could make up for themselves. Maybe she could have them help her fellow witches build nice homes within a few years with hard work. They would have paid her back then."

She laughed with him and refilled their glasses. "Thank you, I find you so very delightful. I hope I do keep you entertained. " She always cared most about her own enjoyment but it was nice when it was shared.

Chéri took a long breath and commented “but would that be something the witch would enjoy? And if yes, why those children, not the previous ones? What do they have that’s special? I don’t know. I feel like she might want to get rid of them.” Chéri theorised.

Chéri laughed and nodded “Oh, I understand that. It sounds beautiful!” He confirmed. Chéri also finished his wine, in an odd form of imitation of his ew friend. “I don’t know. Do you think the witch wants to teach someone?” Chéri asked, pressing his lips together. “Is that the beginning of an enterprise?” Chéri laughed and shook his head, doubtful.

Chéri sighed and nodded. He had’t been entertained in a while. It had always been the other way around and it was refreshing to not have to put any effort in their interaction with another human. Plus, they felt safe here. No one who might have been looking for him might think of searching for him here.

Christine shrugged as she placed the bottle back on the desk and sipped her refilled glass. "If I was the witch I'd have kicked the kids out and punished them for eating my house. Maybe turn them into frogs?' She looked to her new friend and laughed.

"Let's read another one. I think maybe there's a good one about a queen who is also a witch." She said as she rest her head against Chéri 's.

Chéri stared at the bottom in awe “Is there still wine there?” If there was, Christine was a legit witch and Chéri could strike a pact to have at least a few people cursed -Christine was definitely the type of witch who cursed rather than blessed.- Chéri nodded “Maggots. Some people like frogs. I don’t think anyone likes maggots.” He suggested.

Chéri clapped his hands: he looked forward to save another witch from the cruel intentions of princesses and children.

She became apologetic. "This is the last. But I can get us another bottle if you'll stay a while. Maybe I will get us a snack as well. I have some stuff around here." She offered as she flipped a few pages.

"Here is a good one." She wrapped an arm around Chéri so that they were comfortably close as she held up the book and started telling the story of a woman who wasn't happy being second to her daughter the princess so she sent her out into the woods to be raised by seven men of the forest. Finding out she was still the prettiest, the queen witch used magic to disguise herself and put the woman to sleep.

"Eventually a prince came upon her and found her so lovely he kissed her. Unfortunately for all, it merely transfered the curse unto him as well. And the most beautiful queen witch lived happily ever after. "

Chéri shrugged “Oh please. We can drink as much as you like.” He winked. He definitely wasn’t going to judge her for that. He had had his fair share of excesses, which would have been fine, had he not developed this vision of the world by the age of eighteen.

Chéri spontaneously put his head on Christine shoulder and relaxed. He had gotten used to being loved, even adored, but inconsequent tenderness with no innuendo was something he had generally lacked in his life and he was enjoying that, especially with a little bit o wine. Relaxation at last. It was almost too much.

“But she was a queen already, why did she care at all about being happy?” Asked Chéri, who saw beauty as a job more than anything else.

Christine giggled and winked at Chéri. "I have a feeling you will be bad for me!" She joked as she sipped her wine then placed the glass. "After this book I'll get us some food and another bottle."

She was happy against her new friend and looked at the book that she was reading to him. "Ah, well sometimes it takes more than power. I think she would have stopped being queen if it meant she was recognized as being the most beautiful woman for her entire life. Some times people aren't logical. And happiness is a very hard thing to strive for. I am very happy, but I am lucky to have what I need. Well almost everything. " She sighed as she thought of a lovely inn keeper she hadn't seen in a while.

"But we manage." She said quickly.