A/N: Okay, I know what you're thinking. What is this crazy person doing starting a new story when she has two others waiting on updates?
The truth is, I'm working through a little writer's block and needed a change of pace to get my wheels turning again. This story idea has been bugging me for a while now, so I decided to go ahead and start working on it. For those waiting on updates on You Haunt Me Still and my Jacob/Nessie story, I do have both chapters almost ready to go! I've kinda been writing them one paragraph at a time, but it shouldn't be too much longer.
I wanted to do a J/B Grimm-style fairy tale, and this is what happened. Hope you enjoy!
The Maiden and the Wolf
Part 1
Once upon a time, in a great northern kingdom where the rains daily fell, there lived a sheriff with a beautiful daughter whose skin was pure white as the driven snow and whose hair was like a curtain of fine chestnut-colored silk. Her mother, who had died shortly after the birth, had given her a name that meant "beauty," for she could see that the child was beyond compare.
As the maiden grew, rumors of her great beauty spread throughout the kingdom, and suitors from the sons of great noblemen to the lowliest stable hands flocked to her village to look upon her and try to win her hand. Despite all of this, the girl remained gentle, kind, and gracious, never allowing herself to become haughty or proud.
The rumors soon reached the prince's ears, and he set out at once for the village of Forks, where Bella lived with her father in a small but well-kept home at the edge of the woods.
Prince Edward was handsome and gallant, and, when he saw the fair Bella, he vowed that he would have her as his queen. Bella was instantly taken by his charm and fair looks, and so she agreed to leave with him and return to his palace, where they would soon be wed.
Though the fair Bella was given every comfort and consideration in her new home at the palace, her heart longed for the woods where she had played as a child. And so, whenever Prince Edward was busy with kingdom affairs, she would disguise herself in peasant's rags and sneak past the palace guards so that she could walk alone in the peaceful dark of the forest.
When Prince Edward learned of her outings, he became angry, ordering his finance to remain in the palace.
"Many dangers lurk in those woods, my beauty," he admonished, "and I could not bear it if any harm were to come to you."
And he told her frightening tales of mischievous nymphs, trolls, and wild beasts, and of a terrifying creature, half man and half wolf, that lurked in the forest, ready to devour any young maiden who strayed into his domain.
Despite the prince's warning, Bella felt drawn to the woods by an irresistible pull that she was powerless to resist. She chose not to heed Prince Edward's warning and seized upon the first chance of escape she saw.
It had been several weeks since Bella had wandered her beloved woods, so she ventured deeper into the darkness than she ever had and became hopelessly lost. Twilight soon descended upon the land, and she trembled with fright, for she did not know the way back to the castle and night was fast approaching.
As she pressed on through the dense trees, trying in vain to find a way out of the forest, Bella grew more and more fearful. Her steps became careless, hurried, and she lost her footing, tumbling into a deep ravine that she had no hope of escaping without help.
Exhausted from fear and hunger, Bella drifted off into a light slumber, but the sound of approaching footfalls soon caused her to wake with a start.
She opened her eyes to see a dark figure moving towards her from the other side of the ravine. He was large, nearly a giant, his massive shoulders draped with a cloak of russet-colored fur that matched his mostly-bare skin. In the light of the full moon, she could just make out the gleam of the long, sharp nails on his hands and his pointed canine fangs as he spoke.
"Well, well. What have we here?"
Bella screamed, but it was no use. He was hovering over her in seconds, trapping her against the ravine wall with his two massive hands.
"You're the wolf-man," she gasped in her terror, struggling against his iron grasp, though she knew her efforts to be in vain.
His lips quirked in a sardonic grin as he answered, "I see my reputation proceeds me."
Bella gathered her courage, drawing herself up to her full height and looking the wolf-man straight in the eye as she spoke.
"Please, wolf-man, please…don't devour me."
He cocked his head to the side, his lips pulling back over those gleaming white fangs as he lowered his head to her throat, a soft growl rumbling in his chest as he leaned so close she could feel his hot breath on her skin.
Bella closed her eyes, bracing herself for the terrible death that was certain to come, wishing that she'd heeded Prince Edward's warning.
To her surprise, the wolf-man didn't devour her, but straightened again. He laughed, a deep, infectious sound, and she studied him in awe. A pleasant smile transformed his features, and his black eyes sparkled with mirth.
"What…what's so funny?" she demanded, suddenly indignant.
"Of course I'm not going to devour you, silly princess. You've been listening to old wive's tales."
"I'm not a princess yet," Bella retorted, irritated by his mocking tone.
"Soon enough," he shot back, releasing her from his gasp.
Bella took a step further away from him, brushing her hands over the cloth of her tattered cloak as if his touch had soiled it. She tried to take another step, but stumbled, realizing with a pained gasp that she had twisted her ankle in the fall.
"You're hurt," the wolf-man spoke, the gentleness of his tone a harsh contrast to his fearsome appearance. He reached for Bella, but she recoiled from him.
"Don't touch me," she demanded, trying uselessly to flee on her swollen ankle.
Stricken by her harsh words, the wolf-man turned as if to leave. "As you wish, your highness," he spoke with an exaggerated bow.
Her tender heart touched by the hurt expression on his face, Bella called out to him. "Wait!"
The wolf-man stopped, turning slowly to face her. His sad, dark eyes searched hers, and, for several moments, she stood silent.
"I…I do need help," she admitted at last, drawing another small quirk of a smile from her beastly companion.
"I thought you'd never ask, princess." He strode towards her, his hulking form casting a long shadow in the moonlight.
She bristled again at his mocking use of her future title. "Please, stop calling me that."
"As you wish," was his simple reply.
Bella let out a little gasp as he easily scooped her up into his powerful arms, cradling her with unbelievable gentleness against his bare chest. The night air was bitingly cold, and she sank into his warmth, resisting the temptation to press her frozen fingers against his skin.
In one great leap, the wolf-man carried them both out of the ravine, striding confidently into the inky black of the forest. He laughed softly as she cowered against him, terrified of hitting an unseen tree in the darkness.
"Don't worry, your highness. I can see just fine."
She sighed. "My name is Bella."
"Bella," he echoed, as if tasting her name on his tongue. "It suits you."
"Thank you," she answered, grateful that the darkness would hide her blush.
Soon, they came upon a clearing in the trees where there sat a small log cottage with a smoking stone chimney on top. The place had a wild look about it, almost as if it had grown up out of the surrounding forest.
"Is this your home?" Bella asked as they approached, enchanted by the attention to detail in the intricately carved wooden door.
"Not exactly the palace you're used to," was his only reply.
He set her gently on her feet inside, and she hobbled around the small room, enchanted. A roaring fire warmed the close space easily, giving enough light for her to see that the wolf-man was a talented craftsman.
There was a large bed in the corner, its posts carved with a pattern of leaves and vines. The only other furniture were a similarly carved chair and mantelpiece and a small table covered with various jars and earthenware dishes.
A collection of small, carved animals on the mantle caught Bella's eye. Every creature in the forest was represented there, the lifelike detail in their expressions almost magical.
One in particular caught Bella's attention. It was the figure of a lone wolf, it's head thrown back in a mournful howl. Unable to help herself, she picked it up and studied it, feeling the wooden creature's sadness as if it were her own.
So entranced was she that her companion's voice startled her.
"Do you like them?" he asked, observing her with an expression she couldn't read.
"They're beautiful," she answered honestly, placing the little wolf back on the mantle. "You have a rare gift."
"I just have a lot of time on my hands." He shrugged, and she realized he had removed his fur cloak, revealing the smooth, red-brown skin of his shoulders to the glowing firelight.
He gestured to the chair positioned beside the stone hearth, and she lowered herself into it, careful not to put any weight on her sore ankle.
Bella watched his broad back as he bent over the table, placing things from several jars into a bowl and mixing them into a paste with a stone pestle. She quickly averted her eyes to the flickering fire as he turned and closed the small distance between them, kneeling at her feet.
"May I?" he asked softly, reaching for her injured ankle.
Bella nodded, fighting to keep her breath steady as his long fingers slipped beneath the hem of her skirt and gently lifted her foot, resting it on his knee before carefully removing her shoe.
"I've made a poultice that should bring down the swelling," he explained as he applied the strong-smelling mixture from the bowl to her ankle, tying a strip of cloth around it when he was finished.
"Thank you," she said, offering him a small smile. The throbbing pain was already beginning to dull into a low ache.
The wolf-man only nodded in reply, turning to lift the lid off of the large black pot suspended from a hook over the fire. He stirred the delicious-smelling contents, and Bella's stomach grumbled as the tempting aroma filled the small room.
"Hungry?" he asked with an amused grin.
Bella nodded sheepishly, accepting the bowl of steaming-hot stew he offered her. She took a bite of the tender meat, almost moaning in pleasure as she realized just how starved she had been.
"I hope you like farmer's daughter," the wolf-man said, and Bella's eyes grew wide as saucers.
His face transformed with a genuine smile as he laughed long and hard at her alarmed expression.
Bella relaxed and took another bite of stew, realizing he was teasing her again.
"It's rabbit," he explained when his mirth had passed, turning back to the hearth as he added more wood to the fire, stoking it into an even hotter blaze.
As she ate, Bella quietly studied her strange companion in the flickering light of the fire. Crouched beside the hearth, he didn't look so very intimidating. His expression was placid as he worked, the dancing light of the flames reflected in his coal-black eyes.
Now that she could see him better, Bella noticed that he had patches of thick fur on his clawed hands and feet and on his broad chest. It was russet-colored, like his skin, but flecked with silver. His dark hair hung like a black curtain around his shoulders, reaching nearly mid-way down his back. Firm muscles rippled beneath his golden skin with every movement, impossibly graceful, despite his size.
"So, um…" she started, realizing she didn't know what to call him. "Are you ever going to tell me your name?"
He sighed deeply, pausing in his work for a moment before continuing with renewed determination. "I don't have one. Not anymore."
"Everyone has a name," Bella pushed, a strange feeling of sadness washing over her at his words.
She waited for a reply, but he remained steadfastly silent.
"Well, then," she tried again, deciding if he could tease her then she could return the favor, "if you won't tell me your name, I'll just have to make one up."
He raised an eyebrow at her before turning back to the fire.
"So…Wolfy, how did you come to live out here in the forest?"
He chuckled at her obvious choice, but didn't try to correct her. When his laughter died, a cloud of ancient sadness seemed to descend upon him. Though half his face was obscured by shadow, Bella could see that his expression was pained.
"Years ago, a powerful sorcerer put a curse on me, and I was driven from my home."
"You were human once, weren't you?" she asked, feeling a pang of sadness for all he must have suffered.
The wolf-man nodded, still gazing deeply into the fire.
"I'm so sorry," Bella spoke, her compassionate heart breaking for the poor soul who had come to her rescue. He wasn't at all the fearsome monster Prince Edward had warned her about. He was only a man, cursed to live this lonely life as an outcast and a monster, never to see his own home again.
Slowly, she reached her hand out and rested it on his warm shoulder. He drew in a deep, shuddering breath, his eyes fluttering closed briefly, before he turned to meet her kindly gaze.
"You truly are a princess, fair one," he spoke, his voice as warm as the fire's glow. "Only the purest of hearts can feel compassion for a beast as wretched and hideous as I."
"You're not hideous," she admonished him, studying his features in the glowing firelight. "In fact, I think you're sort of…beautiful."
An unreadable expression flickered across his face before his lips curved up in the teasing grin she had already grown fond of.
"I see you've not only injured your ankle, but your head as well." They laughed together for a long moment before he continued regretfully, "Speaking of which, I think the poultice will have done its work by now. We should get you home. It's nearly dawn, and Prince Edward is sure to be missing you."
Bella thought she heard a touch of bitterness in his tone as he spoke of her fiancé, but it was gone so quickly, she couldn't be sure.
His hands were gentle despite their fearsome appearance as he removed the poultice and wrapped her ankle tightly in long strips of white cloth. He helped her to her feet, and she was surprised to see that her ankle no longer pained her.
Removing his fur cloak from a hook on the wall, he draped it over her shoulders, and she noticed it smelled of pine needles and cloves. It was a warm smell, comforting. It reminded her of her childhood. Of home.
Bella felt no fear as he carried her, for the second time, through the dark forest. The first rays of dawn were just beginning to peek through the dense clouds as the palace came into view at the edge of the woods.
The wolf-man placed Bella gently on her feet, and she turned to bid him goodbye.
"Take this," he spoke, reaching into the pocket of his buckskin trousers. Bella's breath caught in her throat as he placed the little carved wolf in her hands. "To remember me by," he explained.
"I don't need anything to remember you by, but I will cherish it," she answered, tucking it into the pocket of her ragged skirt.
She turned to go, but a soft touch on her hand stopped her. His dark eyes betrayed a fierce struggle she didn't understand as she turned back to face him, returning the gentle pressure of his fingers.
"Will you return?" he asked hopefully, and she immediately answered that she would.
"Blessings on you, my friend," she spoke sincerely, enveloping his massive hand in both of hers. "And thank you, for everything."
He nodded in response, releasing her hands with obvious reluctance. It must have been a very long time since anyone had touched him kindly, she thought, offering him a friendly smile before turning back towards the palace.
She was several paces away when the sound of his voice once again made her pause.
"It's Jacob," he called to her retreating form, and she turned to see him standing just inside the trees, watching her go with a sad smile.
"What is?" she asked.
"My name," he explained. "It's Jacob.
"Jacob," she echoed with a smile.
"Farewell, princess," he called, his huge form dissolving into the darkness of the wood.
"Farewell…Jacob," she whispered.
Reviews are love. ;)