Brody
sighed as he stared out at the wreck that was his ship. His young
son, Kenneth, entered his mind and it was all Brody could do to keep
from sobbing. All of the man's sons were grown and married with
children; except mild-mannered Kenneth, who preferred his modest life
to wooing and marrying a pretty woman. This was to go to the boy,
when he turned the age of twenty one, but now it was ruined. Mounting
his horse, Brody gave the wreck one last look in the light of the
setting sun before turning toward home.
There are many things the
villagers of Kelasin do not do. They do not travel through the woods
at night, for fear of wolves; they do not welcome strangers into
their homes, for fear of thieves. But most of all, they do not go
near the old castle, tucked in the middle of the woods between their
village and the town of Hogen. Brody, however, did not know this as
he was turned down once more by a villager and decided to go a little
farther in the woods, in hopes of finding a cave or clearing to rest
in until morning. Rain had picked up, crashing through the branches
of the leafless trees.
Brody's horse was skittish, jumping and
shivering at every noise. Lighting lit up the sky, proving as the
last straw for the frightened horse. Rearing back, the creature
knocked off its rider and streaked away into the night, shrieking to
the rain. Brody did not get up until the last of the horse's cries
faded. He squinted past the onslaught of water as lighting once again
lit up the sky. A castle, dark and grimy, stood past a line of trees.
Perhaps the master of this castle would let him stay, if only until
the rain stopped. Slowly, Brody picked himself out of the mud and
moved toward the castle.
In Hogen, Kenneth looked out the
window at the rain. His father should have been back by now with the
shipment. He sighed, running his sooty hand through his auburn hair
as he looked back at the fireplace, the small fire flickering meekly.
Taking another sharp breath, Kenneth pulled open the drawer on the
side of the hearth and took out a candle. He lit it in the fire and
stood up, protecting the precious flame with his slender hand. The
young man opened the front door, gazing momentarily at the driving
rain. Once he had his fill of the sight, he reached up and lit the
lantern hanging just outside the door, a sign to the rest of the town
that someone wasn't home yet.
Back inside, Kenneth brushed his
hair out of his eyes and sat at the piano. He stared at the polished
rosewood and placed his dirty fingers on the shining ivory keys.
Slowly, his blue eyes closing, he began to play.
Brody used
all his weight to shut the heavy door. Inside was silent save the
dull noise of the rain pounding on the castle walls. As his eyes
adjusted to the darkness, Brody noticed that everything was covered
in a thick layer of dust. Gloomy paintings and grotesque gargoyles
decorated the large hall up to a once magnificent black staircase.
Brody gaped at the sad beauty of the place, his footsteps muffled by
the dust on the floor. "Hello?" He called, the echo of his voice
against the walls giving him shivers. The man actually jumped when a
shadow to his left moved and spoke. "Are you lost, sir?" Brody
spun, clutching his chest as he spotted the elderly man standing to
the side, dressed in a tattered suit. His back was bent, his face
unbelievably wrinkled and his hair a thin, snowy white. He wore tiny
spectacles and his knarled hands rested on top of a chipped wooden
cane. "I..I am sorry to disturb you, sir. But I've lost my way as
well as my horse. Are you the master of this castle?" The old man
smiled kindly, shaking his head slightly, "No, I am not. This
castle hasn't had a master for a very long time, nor do I believe
it will ever have one again. However, you are in far more danger here
then you are in the woods. I'm afraid you must leave." "I do
not understand, why can't I stay here, at least until dawn?"
Another shake of the head, "No, good sir. It is far too dangerous.
If the mistress finds out you were in here…" His voice trailed
off as a sound of muffled footsteps echoed behind Brody.
Both men
looked at the new comer; a taller, thin, straight-backed woman with
graying hair pulled back tightly and wide grey eyes, giving her the
expression that she'd been spooked. Her voice was a whisper as she
spoke, "Edmund, what is this? Has a villager stumbled in?"
Edmund, shaking his head, took a wobbling step, "No, Victoria. He
isn't from the village. He got lost in the woods, however."
Victoria put her hands to her mouth, her eyes getting wider. She
lowered them to her chest, leaning forward to emphasize her words,
"You must leave sir! Leave before the mistress finds out!"
Brody
opened his mouth to respond when a loud thud echoed around the three.
Victoria and Edmund looked up to the staircase, showing fear in their
individual ways; Victoria with impossibly wide eyes and mouth open in
a silent scream, and Edmund staring in blank horror. Brody turned his
gaze with them, at first only seeing a cloud of dust around whatever
had landed on the first landing. The dust settled, leaving Brody even
further confused. A lump was sitting on the landing, made of dirty
rags and a nest, it looked like. Then it looked up. Green eyes peered
out of the tangled mess of dark hair with cold disdain and the lump
sat up. It was a woman, not even out of her teens, crouching barefoot
on the landing wearing nothing but a dirty, ripped up white frock.
"Edmund… Victoria…" Though her voice was soft and hoarse
from lack of use, it was clearly authoritative. Both stood stone
still for a moment before bowing, "Your Highness…" Satisfied
with her servants, the young woman turned her gaze to Brody, tossing
her ratted hair out of her face. Dark stains decorated her face,
accompanied by a trickle of the substance streaming out of her mouth
and down her chin. "You have no business here, outsider."
"Please…
Your majesty, I was lost in the woods. I only need a place to stay-"
Brody was interrupted by a small sound. It was a chuckle, the likes
of which he had never heard before. Deep, dark…. Practically evil.
The woman was looking at Brody, smirking wickedly. "Oh, Outsider….
I'll give you a place to stay…"
Kenneth saddled
his horse the next day. His father had not returned home and the
townsfolk were talking that wolves had been heard in the woods last
night. He was so busy getting ready that he absently called, "Come
in." when there was a knock on the door.
Lynette fixed her
breasts above her corset before opening the door. "Oh, Kenneth,
darling!" The blonde sang as she shut the door behind her. However,
the auburn haired man wasn't paying her the slightest attention,
carrying a loaf of bread and a few apples to his sack. Huffing
slightly, Lynette leaned on the table in front of him and smiled
grandly. He glanced up, "Oh. Good morning, Miss Dove." "Good
morning, Kenneth." She puffed out her chest, looking down at his
sack. "Are you going somewhere without telling me?"
Kenneth
swallowed nervously. He wasn't very good at interacting with women
who were attracted to him The reason for this was because Kenneth was
a very kind person and knew he wasn't attracted to any of these
women and didn't want to do them the disgrace of a miserable
marriage. Lynette, however, was the biggest problem with this: she
refused to take any other and she just wouldn't give up. "Yes,
Miss Dove. I am going somewhere." "Oh please, call me Lynette!
Now, where are you going with out me?" Kenneth straightened,
picking up his bag and putting it over his shoulder. "I'm going
to look for my father." Lynette looked skeptical. "Didn't he go
out to get his shipment?" "He never returned last night." The
young man looked down and away, a sign to Lynette that that was
that.
Kenneth rode hard into the afternoon, searching the forest
by the dying light of the sun. Deep into the forest, he came across a
pile of decaying meat; from the smell and look of it, it was horse
meat. Kenneth leapt down from his own horse and saw that the poor
creature had been torn apart and eaten. He looked to his own horse,
petting the side of its muzzle. "There is no sign of human flesh…
That must be father's horse; therefore, father must still be
alive." Comforted by this reasoning, Kenneth mounted his horse
again and continued deeper into the forest.
Night came fast,
covering the eyes of Kenneth and his stallion. The shadows in the
moonlight made him feel uneasy but determined. Squinting in the
half-light, Kenneth spotted an overgrown castle. Glancing at the moon
for the time, Kenneth thought he'd look here to see if his father
had sought it out of shelter. Kenneth guided his horse through the
gates and to the front door. Dismounting, Kenneth gave his horse a
final pat before pushing open the great doors of the castle.
Kenneth
stared in awe around the entrance hall before jumping at the door
suddenly closing behind him. A man, a few years older then Kenneth
stood by the door, smiling mischievously. "Who... who are you?"
The man pushed off of the door and walked toward Kenneth, slipping
his hands in his pockets. "My name is Jasper. And you are,
Outsider?" Kenneth straightened, tucking his hair behind his ear.
"My name is Kenneth Gainnes. I am looking for my father."
Jasper's smirk slipped a few notches. He looked to the floor, then
at the staircase before returning his gaze to Kenneth. "You're
looking for Brody Gainnes?" Kenneth's eyes grew, grasping his
hands together. "Please sir! Could you take me to him?" Jasper
looked uncertain before nodding, "All right."
Jasper led
Kenneth down the dungeon stairs, which had the same neglected look
and feel to the rest of the castle. The tiny flame of the older man's
candle gave off little more light then the slivers of moonlight
through cracks in the ceiling. After what seemed like hours, Jasper
stopped before a cell that held a shaking figure. "Father?"
Kenneth asked gently, squinting in the darkness. The figure lifted
its head, reaching a hand through the bars to touch the young man's
face."Kenneth? My boy... How did you find me?" Kenneth took
Brody's hand in his own, "That does not matter. I'm going to get
you out of here, Father." "My dear son..." Kenneth
shivered at his father's touch. "Your hands are as cold as
death. Who has done this terrible thing to you?" Jasper's gasp
caught both men's attention before the candle sputtered out.
Standing
beside Jasper was a figure a great deal shorter. It was hunched with
wild hair covering its face, though its cold green eyes shown
through. Kenneth stood upright, still clutching his father's hand.
"Who are you?"
The creature snarled, shooting a glare
at the frighten Jasper before returning its attentions to the father
and son. "I am the mistress of this castle, Outsider."
Kenneth took a step forward, holding his head up. "Please
ma'am, release my father. He could catch his death here."
"Then
he should not have trespassed. He is my prisoner and will remain here
until I see fit." She turned, beginning to walk away.
"Wait!"
He cried, reaching out toward her. The creature looked back, eyes
emotionless. "If you will not release him, take me in his
place."
"Kenneth, no!" The animalistic woman
seemed to consider it.
"What is your name, Outsider?"
The youngest man stood a little straighter, "Kenneth Gainnes,
ma'am." She turned back, stepping closer to Kenneth, directly in
a stream of bright moonlight. Through the strands of dirty, tangled
brown hair was a smooth heart shaped face and gracefully bowed lips;
her neck sloped slenderly into her shoulders. Kenneth's eyes grew
wide as she stared at him.
"Very well. Jasper." She
whipped her head around to face her servant. "Release the
outsider and escort him out of the castle." She turned to
Kenneth, her eyes still cold and distant. "And send Edmund down
here to tend to our new prisoner."
"No!" Brody
cried as Jasper unlocked his cell. Though the man had to be helped up
and carried out of the cell, he still cried out and reached for his
son. "Please, reconsider! Keep me, let him free! Kenneth!"
The castle's mistress grabbed the front of Brody's dust covered
shirt, snarling, "He is no longer your concern. Now, say
farewell before I loose my temper." She let go roughly, stalking
back into the shadows.
Once Kenneth had bid his father
good-bye he was greeted by the kind Edmund, who lead him back up to
the castle. "If you would follow me, Mister Kenneth, I will show
you to your room." The young man sputtered before deciding to
not look a gift horse in the mouth and followed the old man in
silence.
The room Edmund had lead Kenneth to was large and
spacious. It had beautifully designed windows that went from the
ceiling to the floor, overlooking the moonlit forest below. Against
one wall was the largest bed Kenneth had ever seen with a tall wooden
canopy decorated in deep red sheets with several pillows in varying
softness. A desk was to the other side as well as a floor length
mirror beside a tall dresser, all hand carved of polished beech
wood.
"Will you like to join Jasper, Victoria and myself for
dinner, or would you prefer to eat in your room?" Edmund asked
in his practiced but gentle manner. Kenneth glanced at him before
looking down at the dusty floor, looking nervous. "I would
rather not spend the night alone." The older man
nodded, gesturing for the youth to follow him down to kitchen.
"Who
is following you, Edmund?" Victoria asked timidly as she carried
a pile of dishes to the small dining table in the middle of the
enormous kitchen. "This is Kenneth Gainnes. He has replaced his
father and will be living with us."
Victoria looked unsure
as she set four places. "Kenneth... A strange name for a
villager...." Kenneth stood awkwardly, his voice quivering
slightly as he spoke. "I am from the town of Hogen, ma'am. Not
from the village on the other side." Victoria's large grey eyes
shut and she shook her head.
"It was brave of you to take
your father's place as prisoner, young man." She gestured for
him to sit down as Jasper came over, carrying a large pot of stew. He
poured some in each bowl, before taking his place between Kenneth and
his mother. The group said grace then began eating and
conversing.
"How long have you all been here?" Kenneth
asked, sipping the broth of his stew. Edmund wiped his mouth, "I've
been serving in this castle since I was sixteen years old, back in
it's glory days. Victoria came with her husband some twenty six years
ago." The woman blushed, becoming very interested in her stew at
the mention of her service years.
Kenneth looked at them in awe,
"And Jasper?" The mischievous man smirked at him, "I
was born in the servant's quarters. I have never left this castle,
though when I was younger, I never had to." Kenneth chewed
thoughtfully of a piece of carrot. "What happened here?"
Edmund and Victoria looked about the kitchen frightfully as
Jasper leaned in. "Well, when this castle had a king, it was
grand and peaceful. He had a lovely queen and a beautiful daughter
and many grateful servants. However, when the princess was about
fourteen, she disappeared. That same year, the palace fell victim to
the plague. Nearly everyone died, the king, the queen... my
father."
Jasper sighed, looking sadly into his stew. Kenneth
also looked into his stew, "My mother died of the plague as
well." "But we survived, Edmund, my mother and I. And
stayed here, as no one in the village or the town would welcome us.
Then, a few years ago, the mistress showed up." Kenneth leaned
forward, looking at each servant in turn."Who is she?'
Jasper
shrugged, Edmund shook his head and Victoria said, "She calls
herself Maverick, the mistress of this castle. She's wild, probably
crazed. She mostly keeps to herself and only asks us to leave her
alone." Kenneth thought about this and asked no more questions
for the rest of dinner or through the surprise of rum cake for
dessert.
Over the next few weeks, Kenneth saw very little of
Maverick, usually exploring the castle on his own and eating meals
with the three servants. He kept thinking of his father and brothers,
wondering if they would come looking for him or thought he was dead.
But Kenneth began seeing his captivity in this castle as a mixed
blessing. He wasn't being told daily that he needed to find a girl to
settle down with and was never bored; but he missed his family and
seeing his friends.
One day during his exploration, Kenneth
stumbled upon an old ballroom. He'd seen many other ballrooms in the
castle, but this one was more like a lounge, a small space for a
gathering of close friends to sit and talk and dance. He ran his
hands along the old upholstered fainting couches and beautifully
sculpted chairs until he spotted the one thing he missed the most
about his old life.
In the corner of the room, beside a large
window overlooking a dimly lit courtyard was a dusty grand piano.
It's white surface was grey from dust but it still looked magnificent
against the view of the coming evening. Gently, Kenneth opened the
piano and ran his fingers softly over the ivory keys. He found a
sturdy bench and sat down at the instrument. Closing his eyes,
Kenneth began to play.
The sounds of a beautiful piano song
drifted throughout the silent castle. This caught Maverick's
attention, sending her tearing through the palace, looking for the
source of the noise. She stopped just outside of the small ballroom,
listening to the song before silently entering. The sun was setting
over the courtyard outside, bathing the room in a deep orange light.
Silhouetted before the window was Kenneth and the piano he was
masterfully playing. Maverick slowly made her way across the room,
amazed at the skill in which the man played. Once she was close
enough to see his face, Maverick blinked.
His eyes were closed,
feeling the music, rather then seeing the keys that he played. The
woman stood beside him, watching until he finished the song and
opened his eyes. Kenneth didn't jump or dart away in fright as he
looked up at his audience. Instead he smiled at her. It was first
time he'd ever seen her in daylight and he didn't want to say
something that would make her turn away.
Finally, Maverick spoke,
her voice in its usual soft tone. "You play beautifully."
Kenneth's smile widened, "Thank-you." Both sat in silence
for a few more moment before Maverick couldn't help asking, "Why
do you close your eyes to play?" This caught him off guard.
Kenneth blushed, looking down at the keys.
"My mother taught
me to play, but she was blind. Whenever I tried to play with them
open, I would trip over myself. So she told me to close my eyes and
learned the same way she did..." Maverick nodded, her gaze
shifting over to the view out the window. Kenneth waited patiently,
joining her in her gaze at the courtyard. "Could you play one
more time?" She asked so quietly, he almost didn't hear her. But
Kenneth nodded and shut his eyes as his fingers glided over the
keys.
Many months had past since Kenneth came to live in the
castle in the woods. He had befriended most of the staff, though he
didn't really get completely along with Jasper; however Maverick
remained a mystery to him. They would see each other around the
castle, Kenneth smiling while she simply nodded. When ever Kenneth
felt the need to or found a new piano in the palace, Maverick was
there in an instant to listen to him play. But it was warm autumn
evening that changed this.
The sun had already set and the stars
were beginning to twinkle into the sky when Jasper told Kenneth of a
kind of flower that lived in the woods. "I'm a little busy but
Edmund really needs it to make his favorite tea. They're moon
blossoms, small white flowers that only bloom at night during the
half moon. That's tonight, so you do believe you can find them and
pick a few for us?" Kenneth, not sure Jasper could be trusted,
agreed because he believed to be on behalf of the elderly Edmund.
So
Kenneth set out into the forest, his dark cloak fluttering around his
ankles in the breeze. It was a clear night and the half moon shone
bright, so Kenneth did not need a candle to see. As the man traveled
farther away from the castle, a few night time animals took notice,
particularly the wolves.
Kenneth kneeled beside a patch of tiny
white blooms in a brightly lit spot. He felt they stems to make sure
they were healthy plants before he picked up a sharp rock to cut the
flowers. He was so occupied by this that Kenneth didn't hear the pack
of wolves that was circling around him.
He stood up, wrapping the
flower stems in a bit of twine and placing them in his waist pouch.
He turned around and gasped as two or three wolves moved forward out
of the shadows, licking their muzzles and snarling. Kenneth stepped
back, still gripping the rock he had used to cut the flowers. He
looked up, spotting a dead branch above him and ripped it off the
tree. He threw the sharp rock, which the wolves easily avoided.
Looking back at the frightened man, they howled, calling their
brethren to the feast.
More wolves closed in on Kenneth, whose
knees began to buckle. One wolf grew restless and pounced, getting
whacked by the branch the man was holding. Another wolf launched
itself, sinking its teeth into Kenneth's cloak. "No!" He
grunted, swinging to get the creature away. Another wolf snapped at
his ankle and Kenneth thought for sure he had lost.
But out of no
where, something rammed into the wolf snapping at his ankles. It was
Maverick, snarling viciously at the ravenous beasts. She scratched,
bit and kicked at the creatures until she got her arms around one of
their necks. The poor creature never knew what happened when Maverick
gripped its muzzle and the back of its head as she roughly snapped
its neck. She stood up, looking at the war-worn wolves who fled as
their comrade fell to the ground, dead.
Kenneth watched in
amazement as Maverick let out something between a roar and a scream
after them. The young woman swayed slightly, turning to look at the
man, only to faint. He rushed over, catching her awkwardly so she
wouldn't hit her head. Peering hastily around them, Kenneth picked
Maverick like one would a sleeping child and carefully carried her
back to the castle.
Jasper looked nervously over the
shoulders of Edmund as Victoria placed a bowl of warm water and a
cloth on the table by the fireplace. Kenneth had placed Maverick on
the fainting couch before the roaring fire, sitting beside the past
out young woman. He thanked Victoria and dipped the cloth in the
water, ringing it out before placing it across Maverick's forehead.
He took out the flowers from his pouch and handed them to Edmund. The
old man nodded and tottered off, gripping the blossoms stiffly.
"Go
get another cloth at once." Victoria said sternly to her son.
Both young men in the room looked surprised at the woman's tone, but
Jasper did as he was told. Once he returned, his mother ripped it
from his hands, her expression of angry disappointment. "Here,
dear. Start cleaning her wounds, I am going to check on Edmund."
Victoria said gently, handing it to Kenneth. She then glared at her
son and dragged him out of the room by his ear.
Once they were
alone, Kenneth sighed. Edmund came and told him to use the tea he had
made with the flowers to clean Maverick's wounds and left them alone
again. With another sigh, Kenneth dipped the cloth in the tea and
ringed it out. Gently, he moved Maverick's arm to expose a large bite
mark. Shivering, he pressed the damp cloth to the wound. Softly, the
young woman hissed, opening her eyes slightly to look at Kenneth. The
man pulled the cloth away to see the wound bleeding freely. He
reached over and grabbed a piece of gauze that Edmund had left.
Quickly, Kenneth replaced the cloth with the gauze and wrapped
Maverick's arm.
Slowly and efficiently, he dressed each wound as
Maverick watched him closely. Soon, he was sweating in concentration
which forced him to remove his jacket and vest. His suspenders hung
around his hips as he finished tying a bandage high on Maverick's
thigh. With some difficulty, she propped herself on her elbows to
look at her dirt and blood smeared frock. She carefully inspected
each bandage and finally nodded. Her piercing green eyes met
Kenneth's soft blue ones, and Maverick silently thanked him.
Over
the next week, Kenneth got to know Maverick very well. She was what
most people would call crazed, as she ate raw and bloody meats as
well as young onion sprouts. But Kenneth didn't mind preparing her
meals and bringing them to her in her room. Her room was on the side
of the castle, in what Edmund said had been the princess's old room.
The bed's canopy had come down long ago and it was little more then a
few mattresses stacked on one another with a nest of pillow, blankets
and books on top. He discovered that Maverick could read, and quite
enjoyed doing so, especially the plays of British playwright, named
William Shakespeare.
On the fifth day, Kenneth brought up a tray
of fresh deer meat decorated with chopped onion sprouts and a goblet
of water from the fountain in the courtyard. Maverick was hidden in
her nest, resting. The young man placed the tray on the edge of the
bed, reaching over and stroking the tangled mess poking
out of the blankets. Maverick slowly emerged, sniffed the air.
Kenneth smiled to see she was still clutching the book she'd been
reading the night before, a play called 'Macbeth'. She
placed the book to one side and pulled the tray to her, picking the
meat up with her bare hands and tearing into it. Kenneth picked up
the play, skimming the first page. "How is the food?" He
asked as Maverick lifted the goblet to her blood stained lips. She
nodded, swallowing before talking. "Very good. You are taking
such fine care of me during my injury, Outsider. How could I
thank-you?" The young man smiled, looking down at his
lap.
"Well, for starters, you could call me by my given
name." Maverick considered this as she chewed a particularly
tough piece of meat. After swallowing, she nodded. "Very well,
Kenneth." His gaze returned to her face. "Second, perhaps
we could dinner together?" This surprised Maverick. She looked
down at what was left of her meat and the blood that covered her
hands. "Are you so sure, you would want to eat in the asme room
as me?" Kenneth chuckled, "Yes. I'd like to have dinner
with you, Maverick. You've healed nicely, so we could have dinner and
dancing." At she unsure expression, he added, "And I will
play for you."
"Victoria!" The older woman
spun, her eyes wide as Maverick skitted to a stop before her.
"Mistress Maverick?" "Victoria, you have to help me."
Maverick said in a small, frightened voice. Victoria brushed a few
strands of dirty brown hair out of the younger woman's face. "What
is it you need help with?" "Kenneth and I are having dinner
tomorrow night together and-""You are? Why, that's
wonderful." "Victoria!" The older woman stared at the
desperate tone Maverick used, she looked terrified. "I don't
know how to dress or how to dance. You have to help me, please
Victoria!" Victoria smiled, "Come with me, my
dear."
Victoria scrubbed Maverick's head until at last, every
knot had been worked out of the young woman's hair. As she sat in a
silk robe, Victoria brushed out her long hair that now shined and lay
flat. Victoria had a few dresses washed and dried for Maverick to
pick from and had dragged Jasper in.
"Now," Victoria
said to the younger people, "Maverick will place her right hand
on Jasper's shoulder and Jasper will place is left hand on Maverick's
waist." The two awkwardly followed directions and continued to
move awkwardly until Edmund took over for Jasper. Edmund whispered
little encouragements to Maverick, "Don't worry your majesty,
you are doing beautifully." And Maverick relaxed enough to let
Edmund lead and realized that if she stopped worrying, the steps
seemed to come naturally. "There we go!" Victoria squealed
as Maverick switched back to Jasper and they floated gracefully
across the floor.
Kenneth breathed deeply as he stood
outside the recently cleaned lounge ballroom he'd first played in. He
was dressed in a silk black suit with delicate red designs, one of
the foreign treasures he'd found in his dresser, with his long auburn
hair tied back with a simple black ribbon. The muffled sound of
footsteps caused him to look up, and it took all his power not to
gape. Maverick stood not ten feet from him, her hair washed and
styled into an elegant bun. She wore a red kimono with black dragons
to match Kenneth's suit and held a large hand fan that was tied
around her thin wrist.
Both young people stood staring at the
other for a moment before Kenneth cleared his throat. "You look
beautiful, Maverick." The young woman blushed, biting her lip
and casting away her eyes. "You look quite handsome... Kenneth."
He smiled, holding out his arm, which Maverick instantly took.
Together, they were a wreck of nerves as they entered the lounge and
began to laugh at how silly they were being.
With a smile,
Kenneth pushed Maverick's chair in for her before taking his own
seat. They were served a vegetable soup. which they ate in silence.
Once they were served season jerky, they started to talk about
everything and anything, from food to books to music. And when
dessert arrived, a light mousse pudding, they were both quite eager
to dance.
Kenneth once again offered his arm and lead Maverick to
the small dance floor. Edmund sat at the piano, playing a simple song
as they took their places. Kenneth placed his hand on Maverick's
waist and she placed hers on his shoulder as their other hands slid
together. And then, they danced.
They danced until they
could no longer stand. By that point, Edmund had taken off and
Kenneth took his place at the piano. Maverick sat beside the piano,
watching as he slid his eyes closed and began to play.
Soon, she closed her eyes as well, letting the music drift through
her. Maverick's eyes snapped open as soon as Kenneth ceased playing,
as he was watching her. As they sat looking at each other, Kenneth
started another song, not once taking his eyes from the woman's
face.
Maverick finally looked away and he stopped playing again.
She looked back up at him and sad expression on her face. "You
are not my prisoner... You know that, don't you?" Kenneth smiled
softly, "Yes. I know that. But this is my home now, even if I do
miss my family." This answer displeased Maverick greatly. She
stood up and held out her hand, "Come with me. There's something
I want to show you."
Maverick led Kenneth up to the
tallest tower of the castle. The room at the top was circular with a
tiled floor made to look like a compass and four great windows at
each point. The woman watched as Kenneth looked around the room in
awe. "This... This is amazing." She walked over to the
northern window, placed her hands and fan on the large stone sill.
Kenneth walked up behind her, looking concerned. "Maverick?"
She gestured out the window and he looked. There, past the forest,
sat his hometown of Hogen. The church bells were faintly chiming the
hour and Kenneth could pick every building out. He even found his
father's house and felt his heart sank. A row of lanterns had been
placed on the roof, a symbol that a resident was ill as well as a
lantern by the door. He gripped the sill, which Maverick noticed.
"What is wrong?" Kenneth pointed to his father's house.
"Do you see that house with the lanterns?" She looked,
spotting it and nodding. "That means that my father is greatly
ill. My brothers must have placed them there...." Maverick
looked away before pushing off the sill and going to stand by the
staircase in the middle of the room. Kenneth remained by the window,
staring out at the town. Blinking back hot tears, Maverick spoken in
a confident voice. "You must go to him."
Kenneth spun
around, "What?" Gathering herself, Maverick looked over her
shoulder with a cool, collected gaze. "Your father is ill, you
must go to him. You are not my prisoner, Kenneth. You may come and go
as you please." She turned back to the stairs, her hand firmly
on the banister to keep herself from shaking. "Go to him."
Kenneth walked up behind Maverick and hugged her. He leaned down and
gently kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear. "Thank-you,
Maverick. I will come back to you." And with that, he raced down
the stairs.
Duncan, Marcus and Collin sat in chairs at the
foot of their father's bed. He had come back from the shores on the
other side of the woods many months ago, deranged and telling anyone
who'd listen that Kenneth, his youngest son, had been taken
prisoner in a castle in the middle of the woods. These past few
weeks, Brody Gainnes had taken a turn for the worse. He was sickly,
bed-ridden and delusional. The three older sons had come to see that
Kenneth was indeed gone yet all of his things were still in his room.
They had been conversing quietly about the weather and
reminiscing of the old days when they all lived under that roof when
a frantic knock came on the door. Because it was the middle of the
night, the door had been locked so the brothers rose together to
inspect the knock. When Collin finally opened the door, Kenneth
rushed in panting. Duncan and Marcus gaped at their little brother,
who was still dressed in his silk suit, and Collin exclaimed,
"Kenneth!?" But the young man did not stop long enough to
say anything more then hello to his brother before running to his
father's side.
"Father! Father, I'm here." Kenneth said
gently as he kneeled beside Brody's bed. The older man peered at his
son with gummy eyes. "My son... I must be dreaming again..."
"You aren't dreaming Father, I'm here." Collin, being the
oldest stepped behind his baby brother, placing a hand on his
shoulder. "Yes Father, Kenneth is here." Brody's eye
snapped open, he was instantly awake.
He embraced his youngest
son, and then held him at arms length. "How did you escape?
Escape that terrible place?" Kenneth smiled sadly at his father,
"I didn't escape, Father. I am not her prisoner, that palace is
my home." Collin looked to his other younger brothers who looked
just as confused. Brody finally looked Kenneth up and down,
surprised. "Why, what are to wearing, Kenneth?" The
youngest man smiled, "Chinese silk." Brody raised his
eyebrows, "You look healthy!" "I'm in perfect health,
Father." Brody then turned to his other sons with a bright
smile, "Put the coffee on, boys. Kenneth has returned home!"
It
was nearly noon when the Gainnes sons awoke to their father whistling
merrily while cooking them some soup. Marcus and Duncan went out and
took all the lanterns down while Collin asked Kenneth to help him
wash the dishes. The eldest son looked at his youngest brother. "You
seem to be doing well, Kenny." Kenneth smiled as he dried the
dishes Collin washed. "I am doing well, Collin. I am living in a
beautiful place with some new and very good friends."
The
blonde man nodded to his brother, "Shouldn't you be getting
married soon? You are nearly twenty-two years of age." And there
was the main reason Kenneth had been glad to stay in the castle. He
sighed, "I suppose I should." "Oh, come now Kenneth.
There are plenty girls here in town who would love to marry you, like
that Dove girl.. Lynette."
Kenneth shivered at the name,
making Collin smirk. "She can't be that bad." "Then
perhaps you should have married her." Collin turned to his
brother, leaning on the sink. "I'm all ready happily married to
Theresa, Kenneth. Are you even staying?" The younger man looked
up at his brother, "Only for a few days. Then I'm going back."
"Back where?" Kenneth got frustrated, slamming the plate he
had been drying on the counter. "Where no one will try to
pressure me into getting married every second of the day!" With
that, Kenneth turned and stalked out of the house.
As the
days progressed, more people around the town asked Kenneth where he
had been. All he could really say was, away, while didn't help when
Lynette heard he had returned. Double checking her reflection in a
pot hanging outside to dry, Lynette knocked on the Gainnes family
door. Duncan opened it, raising an eyebrow at the borderline trampy
outfit that the girl was wearing. "Hello, Mister Gainnes, is
Kenneth home?" Duncan nodded then jerked his thumb back. "He's
out back in the garden Miss Dove." "Thank-you."
Lynette
went around the house, peering over the edge to make sure Kenneth was
there. Standing in the middle of the yard, looking up a great oak
tree in nothing but his trousers was Kenneth. He was contemplating
whether he wanted to climb it as the sun caressed and warmed his
skin. Lynette had to steady herself against the side of the house to
regain her composure. Then she rounded the corner with a huge smile,
"Kenneth! Your back!"
Kenneth had just enough time to
step aside to avoid Lynette's over-friendly welcome. However, he
caught her arm so she wouldn't be kissing the dirt. "Miss Dove,
I didn't expect to see you." The woman straightened herself and
smiled, "Of course I came to see you! You've been gone for so
long! Where on Earth have you been, you gorgeous creature?"
Kenneth's gaze went back to the tree, like he was remembering.
"I
was in a palace, out in the middle of the woods. It's mostly
abandoned except for these three servants and a woman. Edmund, the
kind elderly man. Victoria, the timid maid and mother of the third,
the foolish Jasper. But that woman...." Lynette felt a thrill of
jealous too big to swallow. "What woman?" Kenneth smiled
softly, closing his eyes as he pressed his fingers to his thigh, as
if he were playing the piano. "Maverick... that wild,
intelligent woman..." Lynette saw red.
"He said she was
a wild woman. She's probably an older woman, trying to turn him to a
life of sin!" Lynette said to Collin, crossing her arms. "She's
a witch, and has put Kenneth under some terrible spell to turn him
away from his family and their wishes!" It was evening, the
darkness outside growing darker. Collin, Marcus, Duncan and Mister
Dove, Lynette's father, were sitting around, listening to the girl
speak.
Meanwhile, Kenneth sat on the roof of his father's home,
staring in the direction of the woods. From here, he couldn't see the
tower, however, if he squinted, he could see a row of lights that
weren't stars. Kenneth felt his heart lump into his throat. He had
told Maverick that a row of lanterns meant someone was sick, and now
he was seeing a row of far-off candles sitting on the stone sill of
the northern window. Frantic, Kenneth slid off the roof, ready to run
to the stables to collect his horse. However his brothers and a few
other men from the town were waiting for him.
Lynette sat on
her horse in the middle of the crowd of men. Each one of the party
was holding a torch, and all but Lynette were walking through the
woods. The blonde felt a little bad about having to lock Kenneth in
his father's shed to prevent him from trying to stop them as the
group marched toward the castle. But she had convinced herself that
this Maverick person was a witch, and once the town's men had burned
her, Kenneth would finally propose to her.
Edmund spotted the
torches in the forest and fear gripped his old heart. He hurried to
Victoria, who was pressing a cool rag to Maverick's burning forehead.
The younger woman hadn't been well since the night Kenneth left and
her condition only worsened. "We have a problem." Edmund
said, leaning heavily on his cane. "A group of men with torches
is coming this way. I don't like the look of it." Maverick tried
to sit up, but Victoria pushed her back down. "I must protect my
castle." She argued but Victoria wouldn't budge, not until the
bang of the intruders echoed throughout the palace.
The men still
circled around Lynette, who looked around the grand hall in awe. The
place was enormous! Surely this witch had some wealth that she could
acquire. But the hall seemed empty, until a tall man appeared,
carrying a large pot of tea. He was tall with dark, wavy hair and
grey eyes. He stared at the group of men and woman, who stared back.
Finally, the young man spoke. "Erm... Good evening." Collin
moved to the front of the group, pointing his torch at the man. "Who
are you? And where is the one called Maverick?"
Jasper
stared at the odd group, the tea pot growing heavy in his hands. "My
name is Jasper, and the mistress isn't well. If she were to receive
company, my mother would be a fearsome power to behold. Could you
come back at a later time?" He watched the group whisper before
glaring at him. "You will take us to Maverick, or you shall burn
along side her!" one man stated. Jasper's eyes bulged, "You
want to burn her? Are you insane?" Before the lot could
answer, Edmund appeared on the stairs.
"Leave at once, all of
you. You are trespassing." The old man stated firmly. Mister
Dove stepped forth, "We are not leaving until that witch,
Maverick, is a pile of ashes!" Edmund's eyes narrowed behind his
tiny spectacles. "Very well… Jasper." He nodded to the
younger man, who nodded back. With a smirk, Jasper threw the boiling
hot tea and kettle at the men before taking off up the steps. Edmund
disappeared as quickly as he had appeared. "Come on men! We go
up!"
It was the third floor that Lynette had begun
wandering away from the group. As the men searched another large
room, the blonde walked slowly down the corridor, looking at the
furnishings. Lazily, she looked back down the hall to see a figure
standing at a window. The figure was a woman with sickly-looking skin
and messy chestnut hair. Her grey frock was smeared with blood and
tears, as her face was stained by both. She was barefoot and
shivering, and as far as Lynette could tell, she was
crying.
Carefully, Lynette edged toward her. "Are you
alright?" No response, just most shaking. A little closer,
"Hello?" Closer. Closer. Lynette was three feet in front of
her when Maverick grabbed the woman's throat. Her green eyes were
cold and angry as her voice was hoarse from screaming and crying.
"Get out of my house."
Lynette didn't need to scream, as
the men had finished searching the room and spotted the two women.
The blonde was on her knees, trying to pull Maverick's hand off her
neck, only to have the grip tighten and solidify. Cold eyes flicked
up to the staring men, "Step any closer and I will rip her
throat out." Collin held back Lynette's father, staring at the
ill woman. It was Duncan who reacted by throwing his torch at her.
Maverick put her arm up, blocking her face from the attack, but the
fire burned her forearm as it fell on her prisoner's face. Lynette
screamed, she was released as her skin bubbled and boiled from its
contact with the fire. Everyone in the hall stared as Lynette sat up,
her face hidden behind her hand and hair. The torch slowly fizzled
out on the stone floor, so the only light on the females was the
moon.
A set of frantic footsteps and a voice echoed through the
silence halls. Kenneth had escaped from the shed and rode a horse as
fast as he could back to the castle. "Maverick!" He cried,
running up the familiar steps of his home as he searched for its
mistress. "Maverick!" Kenneth skidded to a stop on the
third floor as he spotted the group of men that had thrown him into
his father's shed. Farther down, standing in the moon's light, was
Maverick. And sitting at her feet was unmistakably Lynette Dove.
Kenneth slowly walked toward the scene as Lynette turned to look up
at Maverick. No one but the woman could see Lynette's blistered face
as she stood up. The blonde slapped Maverick then began scratching
her until her hands ended up around the sick woman's throat, and the
brunette was too weak to fight back. She gasped for breath, trying to
push Lynette off.
Lynette could feel the life of the woman who had
ruined her face slip away when someone forcibly pulled her away. All
she could do was cry in surprise as she was dumped onto the floor and
looked back to see Kenneth kneeling on the floor beside
Maverick.
"No.. no, Maverick..." He lifted her head and
cradled it on his lap, smoothing her hair out of her face. She
fluttered her eyes, trying to open them. "Ken...Kenneth?"
"Shh.. I'm here." He smiled weakly at her and she attempted
to smile back.
"Kenneth." Another voice said. He looked
up to see his brothers. Collin was standing in the front, holding his
torch up to cast light on as much as he could. "Kenneth, I.."
"Leave." Kenneth said harshly, glaring darkly at Collin.
"But Kenny, we only wanted to-"
"You wanted to
kill Maverick, all because a little whore told you she was evil. She
isn't evil, Collin. I love her." Collin looked over at Lynette,
who was hiding her face still. "Kenneth, I am your brother and I
know-" "You are no brother of mine. Now leave, and never
return." Kenneth growled, angry tears welling in his eyes.
"NOW!"
Collin went over and helped Lynette up as every
one of the townsfolk made for the door as quickly as they could.
Collin handed Lynette off to her father before turning to face his
youngest brother. "Her name isn't Maverick, Kenneth." "Yes,
it is." "Well, her portrait says differently." And
with that, Collin joined the other, never to see his brother again.
Kenneth held Maverick on the floor as she opened her mouth. "That
isn't my portrait." She mumbled, opening her eyes to look at the
indicated painting on the wall across from them. For the first time,
Kenneth looked up at the painting. He gaped at it; the figure in the
portrait was of a younger Maverick in royal finery and a puzzle box.
Beneath the portrait was a plate that read: 'Princess Ofelia of
Wolf Forest'. "That isn't my portrait.." Maverick
repeated, her eyes drooping tiredly. "At least not anymore."
The
young man looked down at the woman he held. "What happened to
you?" Maverick took in a shaky breath, cuddling closer as she
stared at the painting. "I'm not really sure, Kenneth. I don't
really remember being Ofelia... That part of me died many years ago.
I can't be her." Kenneth shushed her as Maverick began working
herself up into a fit of coughs. "It's all right, Maverick.."
He said kindly, leaning forward and kissing her gently. When he
pulled away, he smiled at her. "I didn't fall in love with her."
Tears trickled out of the corners of the woman's green eyes as the
man she had fallen in love with leaned down and kissed her again.
