Charming (Pt 2)
Charming (Part 2)
By Lucy Newman
After watching the empty courtyard for hours, Lauren decided to get some sleep as she yawned and slowly walked towards the bed. As she slid between the satin sheets a gust of wind blew her windows open and left her silky comforts to shut them.
As she forced the windows shut and turned the latch a foul smell filled the room. The smell of a wet animal crept in the darkness. “Oh dear, a frightened squirrel was blown into the room,” she mumbled to herself as she scrambled to find some matches. “It will be okay poor thing, let me find my candles and I will show you the window so you may leave when the storm calms down.”
“You are a gentle creature, but I am no frightened squirrel,” a mysterious voice growled in the darkness. Lauren’s body froze with fear as she dropped the candle and slowly turned around. “I am merely a creature of the night, a dark assassin sent by your father’s enemy.”
“Then you are a foe,” she said in a shaky voice. “I saw you sitting in the tree below. Come into the moonlight so I may see your face.”
“No, you’re gentle eyes will forever be tainted if I came into the light,” it growled. Lauren peered harder into the darkness of her room hoping to catch a glimpse of the creature when the reflection of the light bounced from the creature’s sharp teeth. “I was sent kill you, but your beauty filled my cold dark heart with warmth.”
“Kill me if you must, for an enemy of my father is an enemy of mine,” said Lauren as she pulled her gown down to expose her throat and chest. “Kill me now and be gone with you. I can not love a man who threatens my father.”
The creature stood still staring at the beauty of her exposed skin and nodded his head. Quickly he rushed to her and opened his long mouth around her throat, pushing his teeth down as hard as he tried to shut his mouth. It would not close, he stood there watching her eyes stare off into the darkness waiting for death.
“Are you not frightened?” he asked. “I am about to end your life and you do not scream.”
“No, I am no longer frightened,” she replied. “Take my life now, but spare my father.”
The creature released Lauren and backed away towards the window. “Look at me young one,” he called out. Lauren pulled her gown over her shoulders and looked at the beast standing in the window. “I will no longer threaten your father, I will return to my master and accept whatever punishment he delivers.”
Curious, she reached her hand out and smoothed the creatures muzzle and brow. Something inside was drawn to the beast, “what sort of creature are you?”
“What?”
“What sort of creature are you?” she asked while smoothing the long hairs of his cheeks back against its mane. “You are the first creature I have seen in my life, until now I thought creatures only existed in fairy tales.”
“I am man in the sunlight and a beast in the moonlight,” he answered. Purring as Lauren’s fingers scratch his chin. “I am called a Wolfen, a creation of my master’s sorcerer.”
“What will your master do if he knew you failed?”
“He will probably have the sorcerer get rid of me or lock me in a dungeon somewhere within his castle until he can find a way to punish me for his enjoyment.”
“Don’t go then,” Lauren said as she began scratching behind his long dog like ears. “Stay near the castle.”
“I can not my lady, I must eat sooner or later and your servants are more than appetizing.”
“Don’t eat my servants, why not hunt in my father’s forests. He hardly goes hunting nowadays and won’t miss any of the deer that play there,” she whispered as the night watchman marched by her bedroom door. “You have another hour before the night watchman returns to this hallway. You must leave the way you came in I’m afraid.”
“I will consider what you have said, but for now I must return to my master.”
“If your master requires proof, then give him this,” she said handing the creature her handkerchief. “At least he will know you were in my room and you can make up any story you wish.”
The creature bowed his head and opened the window, the rain had slowed to a gentle drizzle as he leapt out the window and into the moonlit courtyard.
