This story is inspired by Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. It's not so much of a retelling, as a similar world and characters.

It is Rated T for some dark themes (it is based on Frankenstein after all), but the violence is more implied rather than shown.

Reviews are very much appreciated.

Enjoy.

Chapter 1

Thomas sat quietly in his coach waiting and searching the horizons. That's all they did anymore. He had been born a noble, and studied to be a doctor. Now, all he and his brother did was hunt. Thomas closed his eyes and started to nod off. For the thousandth time, he dreamed of home. Of warmth, laughter, smiling eyes, dark hair. Thomas started to fidget in his sleep as the dark hair turned red. The laughter and smiles changed to screams, and the warmth to a biting cold. A sudden cold gust of wind jerked Thomas awake. He was sweating. He opened his watch and looked at something inside it. It calmed him. He tapped his walking stick by the door and the coachman soon appeared.

"Any sign of my brother?"

"None sir."

"He must still be at the next town. Be ready to leave within the half hour."

"Very good sir." The coachman hurried to the inn to get some more time by the fire. There was no use arguing with these nobles. They were lit by some inner fire that consumed them as surely as the inn's fire burned the dry logs.

It was a cold winter, and the summer had been dry. None of the people in the small village wanted to share their poor supply of bread, so Lucy trudged along the old road out of the village, dragging her lame leg behind her. There wasn't much work she could do, and no one was even willing to give her lodging. Her only hope for food was to go to the next village 7 miles away. Lucy trudged along. She had slept during the church services. She could go the night. She wouldn't get lost. They had told her North, and once Lucy chose a direction, she could always keep it. As she passed the village boundaries, a fine carriage crossed out as well. "Stop the carriage," said the occupant.

"Pardon me young lady, but are you in need of help?"

Lucky looked at the gentle speaker. It was a young man with dark hair and eyes, and an aristocratically pointed nose. His carriage and clothes were spotless, and his extended gloved hand matched the concerned expression on his face.

"No thank you sir," said Lucy with a curtsy.

"Where are you going at this late hour? Shouldn't you be getting home."

"Yes sir." said Lucy.

"Is your home here? If you're going to the next village, may I offer you a ride? The weather shows every sign of treacherous snows," said the Lord as he started to open his carriage door.

"No thank you sir." said Lucy gripping her crutch more tightly. "I'm merely going to the well for some water before I go home to bed. Thank you for your concern." she said, gently pushing his arm away as she walked by his carriage door.

"If you're sure," said the Lord disappointedly.

"Quite." replied Lucy. "Goodnight to you."

Lucy turned to the left and hid behind a house until the carriage was out of sight. She had never trusted fancy lords, especially the good looking ones. She had seen too many of them offering treats and rides to girls in the many villages she had passed. Pulling her shawl tighter, Lucy headed out into the night.

Two hours later Lucy kept looking over her shoulder. The wind and snow had picked up, but the howls she heard were too piercing. Like a human in agony. There was another. Lucy tried to walk quietly, and crunch the snow less. Suddenly, the howls were less piercing, just as the wind lessened. "It's just the wind after all," she murmured. Lucy paused to clutch her beating heart and catch her breath. Then, Lucy heard the crunch of rapid footsteps in the snow. Turning around, she saw a large black shape moving towards her quickly.

"Wolves!" she thought.

She started running as quickly as she could. The shape kept looming closer. Suddenly, Lucy felt herself lifted from the ground. It was a large man, holding her tightly and starting to run with her.

"Let me go!" and Lucy hit him on the neck with her crutch. Dazed, the man dropped her. Her crutch broken, Lucy had no way to regain her feet, so she started crawling away. A few minutes later, she was near fainting. Her chest was burning, and the wind and snow blew right in her face. She could just make out the shape of a carriage in the distance.

"Milord!" she called. At this point, she'd take the smooth talking lord over this bundled man. Just then, Lucy heard heavy footsteps and breathing. Rolling over, she saw the man standing over her. Her chest bursting, she tried to hit him as he reached for her, but he just blocked her arm. Lucy slipped into unconsciousness just as the carriage began to turn towards her.