Jori Part 4 – Liberation
A Fairy Tale of Sorts
Author's note:
This is part 4 of a 4-part story arc. Please read the previous parts first. As always, character development is important to me so most of my stories start slowly. All characters, mythical and otherwise, are over eighteen.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Jori was as stunned as Angelique was, in the very vivid shared memory.
She was pregnant with Roul's child – or children. Just one good fucking and she was pregnant. Well, one
great
fucking, but he did only cum once, even if it
was
for fifteen minutes.
Slowly, Jori's vision clouded over and he returned to the here-and-now of the old woman's hut. It took a few minutes for his senses to adjust back to his present reality, but when they did, he was back to sitting in front of the fireplace, the remains of their light meal still on the tray, and her still naked – because he had asked to stay that way. He turned to her in astonishment.
"So you see, my Jori," she said gently, "my life became inextricably interwoven with the Clan. I became Roul's companion and bore his heirs. Four, in fact. Two sets of twins. I raised them with the help of the Clan until they were adolescents and ready to take their places among the young adults. My oldest, Nicolas, was groomed to be Alpha Male someday. The vision the shaman had about my being good for the clan appeared to refer to his psychic abilities, which manifested about the time he hit puberty. The same was true for his twin sister, Alison. She, too, exhibited prophetic abilities and at about the same time."
"My other twins were Guilbert and Liliane, brother and sister, born about four years after Nicolas and Alison. They, too, had abilities inherited from me. And I loved them just as much as their siblings."
"Somehow, my being pregnant with and birthing them caused a change in me. Perhaps through the sharing of blood while they were
in utero
. I don't know. What I do know is that I seemed to stop aging. And I suppose I took on some of their amazing animalistic qualities – I think others thought I became more beautiful. I know that I became more attractive to both the men and women of the tribe and that I was not only accepted and welcomed into the tribe, I became a beloved part of it – Roul's partner and a
de facto
leader of the Clan.
La Belle Dame des Loups
. The Fair Lady of the Wolves."
"In time, that very attraction began to cause complications for me. The story of
Marthe des Loups
began to spread, beyond the forest, to the human habitations slowly crawling out from under the desolation of the dragon. Myths and legends arose, some concerning my abilities as a Seer; some concerning my ability to heal; some concerning the great fortune that possessing me would bring. Many men, and not a few women, sought me out in the forest, for different purposes. I did not want Roul to kill them, or have them killed, so I sought to avoid them."
"Every once in a while, one would stumble upon me and usually fall in lust. They would become obsessed with possessing me. I would have to discard them, break their hearts as it were, and escape into the forest before anything got worse. When some organized groups of hunters came after me, I allowed Roul and the others to defend me as needed. There was usually one survivor sent back to the village with a stern warning about what would happen to further pursuers."
"I had all but forgotten about the world of Men, except for the rude intrusions into my life. The Clan was my be-all and end-all. I gave them my absolute loyalty and they gave me theirs. And that is what led to my current predicament. To an extent, I suppose you could say I had them beguiled – under a spell or enchantment, although it was not intentional."
"I don't know if you know Abnoba, Jori. She is the Gaelic Goddess of the Hunt, the guardian of the rivers and forests. She is the goddess to whom the Clan holds allegiance. It is to her that they look for guidance. It was she that pointed them in my direction. Considering that, she's also a bit of a fickle bitch."
"Like any god or goddess, she craves attention, and she was used to getting it from the Clan. Every pup grew up knowing who she was and what her earthly avatar looked like. They were taught to venerate her and to treat her with reverence and awe. I missed out on that training."
"So when I was out walking with Guilbert and Liliane, my younger son and daughter, along with several of their single friends, and was approached by a tall woman in a dark green cloak with flaming red hair peeking out from the hood, and a bow and quiver slung over her shoulder, my children and their friends stepped forward to put themselves between me and her, intending to protect me. That turned out to be a mistake."
"The woman was Abnoba in her human avatar form and she was very displeased that the shapeshifters would move to protect me rather than prostate themselves at her feet in fealty. I believe her exact words were,
you must be the Seer. How cute. I suppose you think your great beauty and prophetic skills make you more important than me. Everyone fawns all over you, falls head over heels in lust with you, merely by being in your presence. I had to see it for myself – even the wolves abandon me, to cling to you
. I tried to protest that she was mistaken, but she wasn't listening."
"
Let us see how you handle life without your youth and beauty
, she went on.
Maybe, if someone ever loves you for who you really are, you might learn something. You might learn not to disrespect your betters.
She made a gesture with her hand and I blacked out. When I awoke, the world was different."
"I woke beside a stream, with a group of men standing around that I instinctively knew were shapeshifters. Every bone in my body hurt, but I was glad to see them. They would take me back to Roul. When I tried to arise, however, several of them took a step back and nocked arrows, which surprised and scared me. The leader, though, leaned forward, taking a good look at me."
"
Who are you?
he asked as if puzzled."
"
I am Angelique, Marthe des Loups
, I told him, and my voice sounded funny in my ears, as if parched and cracked. He stepped back in shock."
"
You cannot be
, he told me.
She is dead
."
"
Apparently not
, I told him.
I may hurt like hell, but I feel it, so I must be alive. Can you take me to Roul, please? I just had a run-in with a very unpleasant goddess.
"
"
Roul has gone to join our ancestors
, this wolf leader told me.
So have Nicolas and Grégoire. If you seek the Alpha of the White Hawk Forest Clan, you must deal with me. Now tell me... who are you really?
"
"My entire being filled with dread, Jori. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.
I am Angelique
, I insisted.
Please help me up
. I stretched forth my hand so he could assist me and nearly passed out from shock. My hand and arm were withered and wrinkled, ancient and leathery like some old crone. I looked at the rest of my body and found a naked old woman instead. I suddenly realized Abnoba had meant her words and I was now in the body of an old woman. Fear gripped me."
"
Please, kind sir
, I begged.
I really am Angelique and I have been cursed by the goddess Abnoba. I do not understand all this, but I will die without assistance. Roul was my mate and Nicolas my son. I do not know Grégoire and I do not know you. I ask for your mercy anyway. Can you please help me?
"
"
Grégoire was my father and Nicolas my grandfather
, he told me.
I am Hilaire Silvain
. He looked at me very hard.
If you are Angelique, then you can Clan-speak to my mind and tell me who your companions were on the day you disappeared. Only you, outside the Alpha and the Shaman, could know that
."
"I could remember as if it had just happened. I turned my mind to communicate telepathically to Hilaire and told him,
Guilbert and Liliane, who were my younger son and daughter, and their friends Adelard, Donatien, Suzette, Vincens, Céline and Perrin
. He looked as if he'd been clubbed. He ordered the others to back away and not threaten me, but he stayed and held out his hand to me."
"Even with his help, I struggled getting to my feet. I was old and weak, and everything hurt. And I was afraid. Afraid of what had happened to me and afraid of what the clan might do. At least, the Alpha was helping me, at the moment. If Roul was dead, then probably so was Yvette, the Shaman."
"
Can you tell me, please, how long it has been? Who is now the Shaman of the clan?
I was hoping I could be taken to her. She might know how to undo deific curses."
"
