Love's Curse

Ch 4: Midnight Stroll

Heed well the night, my friends, for many wondrous and dangerous things reside there. But the pure of heart shall be saved from such evils. But if purity is lost then evil will grow, watch out my friends for the witching hour.

******************************************

The night slowly crept upon the inhabitants of the small farm. Inside it had finally grown quiet. The normal night creatures were out and their soft chorus of noise was the only sounds heard.

Lilandra lay in the bed, her body aching all over. The blood had since dried but she hadn't tried to remove her clothing, what was left of it. Finally the heat and her inner turmoil drove her from her bed. She snatched up a scratchy wool blanket and wrapped it gingerly around her body. She left her wooden shoes on the floor and crept downstairs.

She had one moment of fear when she pressed on the bottom step and it creaked loudly. She froze, her breath catching in her throat. When no one stirred, she hurried outside into the night.

She didn't even pay attention to where she was going. She just wanted to get away from her home. It wasn't until she startled a rabbit and it rushed away from her that she looked up. She gulped. She had wandered into the forest without a light. She clutched at the blanket and paid closer attention to where she was going. Fortunately for her it was a full moon and the path was well lit. She knew where she wanted to go. To the lake that lay at the heart of the forest.

In the deep, dark shadows of the forest, glimmering eyes watched her closely, interested in this young thing that had entered the forest. As he moved to follow, nothing but the leaves could be heard rustling. The predators and inhabitants of the forest knew better than to come after this being.

She made it to her destination. Carefully she unwrapped the blanket from around her. She winced when it rubbed against one of the welts from her beating. She bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out. Dropping the blanket to the ground, she shed her ruined clothes. This time she couldn't hold back her pained cries as the clothing reopened some of the half closed wounds.

The scent of blood perforated the air, the night forest around her seeming to come alive with rustling. Soft growls and glinting eyes could now be seen at the edge of the forest. The hunters had caught her scent.

Slowly the wolves emerged from the shadows, closing in to surround Lilandra.

Lilandra whirled around when she heard a twig snap. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the wolves. Without another thought she ran for the water and plunged into it. It was cold and she gasped as she treaded the water and moved farther from shore.

The wolves continued to come closer, sniffing around the discarded clothes. A few were at the water's edge, about to step in, when their ears pricked and their heads shot upright, all looking in the same direction. The wolves at once bolted from the shore as fast as their legs could carry them, colliding with each other as they left.

In the silence that followed, a solitary figure in a stunning evening dress emerged from the shadows, speaking softly. "Hark my lady, the woods can be a treacherous place at night. One does not know what horrors may be lying in wait for them..."

Lilandra let out a yelp of surprise at this new intruder and threw her arms protectively over her chest as she eyed the figure. He was handsome and looked rich. What was he doing out in the woods then?

"Are you lost sir?" She was still self-conscious about her nudity but her mother had always taught her to be polite.

The figure shook his head and looked around the clearing, nudging the ragged clothes that were caked in blood. "I frequent these woods often my lady. Pray tell, have you been bare fist hunting?"

"Bare fist, milord?" she didn't understand his question. He definitely had a funny way of speaking.

The figure smiled and held his hand up in balled fists, then in a strangling motion. "Hunting without a weapon. Your clothes are caked in blood. I thought perhaps you had been the victim of an unfortunate encounter with the wolves that roam these woods. They are very protective of their territory. Even known to attack trained woodsmen."

"Oh! No, sir! I can barely manage to get my snares to work properly," she admitted, blushing brightly.

The figure before her chuckled softly and extended his hand towards her. "Please my lady, you need not be modest around me. There is nothing that I have not seen that a woman can offer. I am simply a man enjoying the quiet of the woods."

Indeed the woods were quiet now, not even the usual background noises could be heard, save for the whistling wind through the trees. No owls hooting their messages, no rabbits scuttling in the bushes. Not even insects chirping their nightly chorus.

Lilandra blushed an even deeper shade of pink. She didn't know this man. But something about him made her decide to take a chance. Besides the cold water was starting to bother her and her teeth were beginning to chatter. Slowly she made her way from the water, making sure to keep her back away from his probing eyes. When he gestured for her to turn around you started to balk but reluctantly did so, closing her eyes so that she wouldn't see the pity or possibly even the disgust he might display.

He slid his jacket from his shoulders and wrapped it around her to keep the chill from her body. "Such a cold night to be bathing my lady. Especially with such wounds upon your back. Do enlighten me as to how you came to acquire them?"

She looked down at her feet. "It matters not. It was my fault. I will bear my shame and not speak of it," she whispered even as she pulled the jacket closer against her body. Kindness. She'd forgotten what it was like. Her mother had been dead for six years. Six very long, pain filled years. She closed her eyes to keep from crying over the most precious person she had lost.

Softly a perfectly manicured hand touched Lilandra's cheek, gently wiping away a stray tear that had wormed its way out of her eye. He gently lifted her chin to look into her eyes with his own deep caring pools of calm. "My lady, if you had done something that deserved such punishment then surely you would be capable of murder. I seem to remember that lashes were reserved only for the worst of criminals. Did you perhaps seduce a man and smother him in your ample bosom?" A soft chuckle was heard, showing that he was jesting with Lilandra.

Even though she knew he was joking she still blushed. She couldn't help it. This man was strange. Well maybe not in places away from the forest but in her world he was. The men in her life only brought pain and fear. With this stranger she felt safe.

"I was punished because I failed to do what was asked of me," she admitted.

The man before her raised a thin eyebrow, his voice becoming inquisitive, "Oh? And what might that have been?"

She shuffled her feet, now embarrassed. She felt small compared to this man with the commanding presence. She looked away from him and mumbled, "I didn't prepare dinner correctly."

His voice was cold a moment, but not towards Lilandra. "You were beaten so badly simply because you were late with dinner? What kind of a monster would do such a thing?"

"Please, sir! It truly was my fault. If I hadn't been daydreaming...." Her eyes grew wide and she clapped a hand over her mouth. She just admitted something private. Now he was really going to think her addled in wits.

His face took on an even more shocked look of bewilderment and disgust. "Beaten for daydreaming? My lady this is terrible! How can you bear to stay in such a place? Surely there are those in town who would give you shelter from such a beast?"

"Only if I sell my body," she whispered and then shuddered. The ones who lived in town were a snobby bunch that only did things for two reasons: money or sex. Or both. They never did anything out of the goodness of their hearts. And they especially took great delight in being cruel to those who lived on the outlying farms like her and her family. No, she'd rather be beaten by her father than deal with city folk.

"Indeed my lady, ever since the prince was turned to beast the people have become corrupted. It seems Zitomira has left a larger mark than first thought..." The figure nodded solemnly, a wave of sadness crossing his face a moment.

Lilandra looked at him then. She'd heard that name mentioned when she was younger. Her mother had told her that story. It had made her sad. She couldn't help but think as her mother retold the story that if people were only nicer the world would be better. "Corruption has always been and always will be. But it is what we do to not spread it that matters," she replied, echoing her mother's words to her so long ago.

The figure sighed knowingly and looked into her eyes deeply before flinching slightly and looking worried. "I must leave you now my lady, but know that you will have safe passage on your journey home. No animal will dare attack you."

He winced now and slid his arms across his ribs before turning and heading for the forest at a run.

"Wait! Your jacket!" she cried but he was already gone. She stared at the spot he had disappeared to and sighed. She hoped he'd be all right. She looked up and realized that she had to go home. She dreaded the thought but there was no help for it. Home was where she had to go. She looked down at her bloodied clothes and blanket and decided to leave them. She still had one blanket left at home. She started the trip back, her mind on the kind stranger she had left.

It took her twice as long to get home because she was dreaming about the man. His handsome face, kind smile and those eyes. The startlingly blue had drawn her in and made her feel special. Wanted. She blinked and with a start realized she was almost halfway up the yard. She turned to look up at the stars in the sky.

"Night sky, that watches over me. I make one wish and one wish alone. Please help that kind stranger find happiness," she whispered before heading back inside the house. Quietly she crept back upstairs and got back into bed, snuggling the jacket around her.