Elizabeth's eyes took a moment to adjust to the dark room. It was light enough to have a dark room to adjust too?
But she saw Fitzwilliam, staring but unseeing out the sunny window. Sun?
"Where is Will?" She asked, over the cathedral bells. Fitzwilliam gasped loudly.
"The cathedral!" Fitzwilliam declared. Dread filled her. Was she too late? She picked up her broken hood and jesses and sprinted from the alley, before realizing her nakedness. Fitzwilliam gave her one of her dresses as it lay on the box next to him.
She threw it on and ran barefooted through the streets. She sprinted up the hill to the cathedral, feeling an ache in her leg from an injury so long ago. She would rather injure it again than miss him!
No one stopped her as she ran. People fled down the halls and away from the cathedral. The red guardsmen were fighting amongst themselves in a courtyard.
She followed the sounds of fighting to the great hall. She could hardly breath when she arrived. She skidded into the great hall.
There stood Will, in his black armor. He had cornered the Bishop!
"Will?" She tried to cry out to stop him, but she was breathless and emotional. She thought she had been too late! And now she saw her husband alive and well!
Then she felt a dark, familiar dread fall over her. The Bishop's gaze that she feared so intensely.
She saw Will turn to look at her, and heard his strangled cry.
But she felt frozen below the Bishop's gaze, as if there was some binding holding her in place.
With a shout Will grabbed the Bishop and threw him to his knees. The man covered his eyes, but Elizabeth still felt frozen, unable to even draw breath.
"Look at her!" Will shouted, digging his sword into the bishop's side. The bishop's arms moved and Elizabeth felt the bindings tighten. She trembled under his gaze.
Will commanded the dark gaze onto himself, jabbing his sword into the man chest. She labored to draw a shallow breath. Her feet felt cemented to the floor.
"Look at us!" Will barked, his sword in the bishop's chest. The man did.
A band around her ribs loosened. Her legs were free. She greedily inhaled and stumbled towards Will.
She could see him! He could recognize her! She was crying horribly, but she didn't care. He took a handful of steps to her but fell to his knees, unable to move.
She walked slowly, horrified of him vanishing if she moved too quickly.
She stood within reach of him and struggled within herself. Could they touch now? Or would one of them disappear if they tried? His glacial eyes betrayed the same fear.
With a gasp, his hand shot out and grabbed hers. He gripped her hand painfully. The look of shock on his face could've been comical, if she wasn't so shocked herself. His hand was hot and like a vice! She brought her other hand up to hold it. His hands shook violently, and he seemed dazed as he stared at their joined hands.
But his touch calmed her and she felt a push to confront the bishop. She looked down at her cursed hood and jesses in her hand. That was it. She glared at the demonic man over Will's shoulder.
She walked calmly around Will, though hatred burned hot within her. Will knelt, shocked, still staring at where their hands had been. She walked up the steps to stand in front of the devil. His eyes were disgustingly hopeful.
She held up her hood and straightened out the jesses before his eyes. He looked at them with growing fear, but didn't tear his eyes away. She kept his gaze as she dropped them to the floor in front of him.
He recoiled and squeezed his eyes shut, as though he had felt some pain of the curse. Or maybe he had some new pain of his own for the curse being broken.
Something in Elizabeth broke. The odd thing that had settled in her soul shattered. She took her first unlabored breath. They were free. Elizabeth turned to go back to her Will.
She heard the Bishop fly to his feet. She twirled around and saw his staff up. A knife was at its end and he aimed to kill her.
"Then no man shall," he growled, enraged. Fitzwilliam shouted. Elizabeth felt a disturbance in the air as Will's sword flew past her and speared into the Bishop. It pierced through him and nailed the man to the altar.
The Bishop's dark eyes locked Elizabeth to her place. Her lungs stopped working again. His eyes had a strange glow that filled her with a dark dread that was deeper than she remembered. She would've shivered but she was bound too tightly. He hissed out her name, his eyes burning into her soul. Elizabeths skin crawled as if her soul was trying to escape.
Then his eyes snapped shut and released her.
She gasped and pressed her hands to her stomach, trying to breathe again. She did an inward evaluation. Perhaps his last breath had placed another curse on her. She felt nothing but relief. She heard Will's rough sigh behind her.
She moved to him and put a hand on his shoulder plate. Will stared at the Bishop in disbelief. She smiled at her husband, feeling tears falling from her face.
Will had done it. He had fought his way in almost single handedly and forced the Bishop to break the curse. True, he had been stubborn for almost too long, but he did too much good to focus on whatever shortcoming.
Will grabbed her hands blindly, still staring at the Bishop. Elizabeth pulled on his arm, he would feel better with movement. The great hall grew lighter as the moon moved away from the sun.
Will stood up and walked a few steps under her direction. He still stared at the dead man, as if worried about a resurrection. This wasn't out of the realm of possibility, but she kept pulling until he was moving under his own will. He soon moved towards the door with that confident, purposeful stride.
Will was going to be fine! He was alright! The thought made her become still. He spun to face her, wrapping her in his arms. His dependable face etched with worry and admiration. He recognized her! She could touch him! He had come back to her!
"Oh my god," she wept, astounded. She laughed with relief as her hands came up to touch his face. What a joy a simple touch could give. He kissed her fingers and then her lips. She felt a thrill go through her. They were free!
He looked down at her in confusion. She was too happy to wonder about it.
"You cut your hair," he said simply. She laughed through her tears, remembering that frenzied, almost delirious act. It seemed so long ago. He kissed her cheek.
"I love you," he whispered with growing excitement, "Elizabeth!" Her cheeks hurt from smiling. She couldn't stop the tears.
"Will!" she sobbed a laugh, throwing her arms around him. He squeezed her tight against him, giving her a short, but desperate kiss. She hated that he was wearing armor, and resolved to fix that problem as soon as reasonable. But he was back! Her dearest, dependable husband.
She spied Fitzwilliam and Georgiana trying to sneak away in the crowd. She didn't want them to leave without her thanks. Will turned to see them. He called them over with affection in his voice.
Fitzwilliam blessed them, and they embarrassed Georgiana with affection. They would have to have the girl come live with them, Elizabeth thought dimly. She was too distracted with their reunion to think any farther into the future.
Will smiled down at her in barely repressed joy. Then he lifted her up high, the way he used to and spun them around. She shouted in surprised delight.
"Elizabeth!" He shouted. He was so simply happy, it reminded her of the wolf. She threw her head back in an elated laugh. She ran her hands over his face and through his hair. She had missed him so much!
"I love you!" She cried. "I love you!" She smiled down as he spun them around. She shrieked with laughter as he spun her around quickly.
He spun her as she slowly sank into his embrace where she pulled him towards her for a kiss to convey her adoration for him. She had missed him so much!
"I missed you so much," he whispered brokenly, leaning his forehead on hers.
"I've missed you too," she said, coming back to her senses, "but we need to leave."
The remaining crowd had surrounded them and noises of a fight echoed from outside.
Goliath whined at them, where he stood next to a gray horse. Will nodded with a smile, keeping her glued to his side as he pushed his way through the crowd. There were shouts of protest, and people threw out their hands to stop them, but Elizabeth never felt a blow. Will ran her to Goliath and lifted her on.
He got on the strange gray horse and then loped over to the dead bishop. He yanked his ancestor's sword from the body.
The Bishop's body crumbled to ash when Will removed the sword, as if burned from the inside out. Elizabeth slapped a hand over her mouth as the crowd exclaimed and shouted. Will looked rather disturbed at this but turned around and pushed the gray horse to leave the great hall. Goliath and Elizabeth followed behind.
Will loped through the fighting men, down the hill and to the alley Fitzwilliam cart had been. He looked around in confusion at its absence and loped to the drawbridge. Goliath followed with no input from Elizabeth.
She marveled at the sunshine on her hands. She was blinded by the colors in the street. Why was dusty brown the nicest color she had ever seen?
The sun was so warm and nice. She never thought she would feel the warmth of the sun again. She started to cry because of how much she missed the sunshine. She wasn't trapped alone in the dark anymore.
They came upon Fitzwilliam and Georgiana just across the drawbridge.
"Fitzwilliam," Will called, coming to a walk beside them. Elizabeth and Goliath walked just beside him. She smiled reassuringly at the pair in the cart.They looked so different during the day.
Fitzwilliam looked over in confusion. Georgiana just smiled as she held her chin propped in her hand.
"I'm headed to my family's manor, and realize I have no priest," Will said with a smirk. Elizabeth loved the idea.
"Georgiana you must come stay with us," Elizabeth said, "you both are too dear to let go of now!" Will smiled over at Elizabeth.
"I'd be delighted, miss," Georgiana grinned, "but I still have to find my brother." The girl's pale eyes bored into Will. Will laughed out loud, which shocked Georgiana. The girl smiled brilliantly at the sound.
"You know that I am he, Georgiana," Will smiled. "You'll come live with us." Georgiana blushed quickly, ducking her head to hide her happy grin.
"Does this position open immediately?" Fitzwilliam asked.
"Of course, but the lord and lady of the manor will be absent for a while. Would that be a problem?" Will asked seriously. Elizabeth blushed, so did Georgiana, but Fitzwilliam laughed.
"I would expect nothing less, my boy!" Fitzwilliam said with a grin, "you're just north in the valley aren't you? The manor with the creek running through the orchard?"
"Yes," Will smiled, with pride.
"We'll both be there, and I don't expect to see the lord or his lady any time soon," Fitzwilliam laughed. Will turned to Elizabeth with a smile.
"Care for a race, my lady?" he asked. She felt exaltant with the question.
"Only for a mile or two, I don't know the way," Elizabeth confessed. Georgiana protested though.
"Oh don't do it Miss!" she exclaimed, "one of you will fall and break your neck! All of this would have been for nothing!" Elizabeth pursed her lips. It was sensible, but she saw Will get a fearful look in his eye. If she didn't stop this now then they were going to treat her like glass for the rest of her life. She had married Will because he did not treat her like glass.
She kicked Goliath to a gallop, leaving the trio behind her with a wild laugh. She was in the sunshine, she was not glass, she was not sorrow. She was alive again!
She heard Will thunder behind her. A quick glance confirmed his apprehension, but also excitement. She flew down the road with Will hot on her heels.
Very soon she slowed, because she could not believe what she was seeing. Blue sky, white clouds, colorful flowers and green grass. Tall gray mountains with snow, ribbons of silver from waterfalls. The world looked so different in the sunlight. The joyful tears clouded her vision and even they were colorful.
Will came up beside her. She turned her eyes toward him. He was just as handsome as she remembered. His glacial eyes glowed as he watched her. She noticed new lines of stress and worry over his dear, ashen face. Those would probably never fade.
"Thank you," she said, "for not giving up." He frowned, deepening those lines and looked away.
"One more moment and I would have condemned us both forever," he said, his voice heavy with guilt and regret. Her dear man.
"I don't blame you," she said.
"I do," Will whispered, looking at her with heart wrenching grief. But, today was not the time for grief.
"Come, my love," she said, reaching over to hold his hand. He gripped hers painfully, but she understood the fear of watching someone vanish. "I don't know the way." He gave her a repressed grin, love in his eye, but the lines still deep on his face.
"Let us see if I remember then," he said.
Oxoxoxoxoxoxo
His family home was in worse shape than he thought. It was dark and dirty, with rotten furniture, a leaky roof and broken windows. He had one arm around Elizabeth, loath to let her go for even a moment, as they walked through the rooms.
He had failed so much as a husband, but he couldn't even give his wife a home? Elizabeth shrieked when they walked through a spiderweb.
How could he ask his lady to clean when they were so recently uncursed and the sun was getting low in the sky? He would need to leave soon. Maybe he could fix up the masters room for her and figure the rest out tomorrow.
Elizabeth found an old broom and was slicing it in front of them as they walked. How had she lived outdoors for two years, and still be nervous of spiders?
They worked together quickly to clean the masters room. Both of them were very aware of the sun's movement. Elizabeth loved to stand in sunspots and have the sunshine on her skin. Her eyes would slide close and her head tilt back.
Will, however, was terrified of the sun slipping lower and lower in the sky. His nightmares kept lingering in his mind. A bloodied Elizabeth, frozen in fear. Their children, dead in the creek. He envisioned himself trapped as the wolf in its most violent state
Eventually, he couldn't stand it and he ran outside the manor. The sunset was pink and orange as he sprinted into the orchard, deaf to Elizabeth's shouts. He needed to get away, or he would kill her. He crashed to a halt on his hands and knees past the orchard and deep into the forest. There was an opening where he could see the sky directly above him.
He pushed himself up after a time and waited. The sky turned a dark orange as the sun balanced on the horizon. He felt his heart gallop as he closed his eyes.
After a few minutes he opened them again, and flexed his hands. The sky had turned an inky blue and a handful of stars dotted in the sky. The sun had definitely set.
He rubbed his finger tips together and looked at his hands in confusion. Tears began rolling down his face as he touched it. No fur, no snout, his ears were the same. He rubbed his hands along his neck. It was human.
He choked out a sob of relief.
A hand slid into his hair and started to scratch his head. He tilted his head back to see Elizabeth, who was crying as well.
He grabbed her waist and pulled her down into his lap. He lay his head in the crook of her shoulder and hugged her close. Her arms wrapped around him and she scratched his head and neck. He cried.
After several minutes, he calmed. The night was dark with the new moon. Elizabeth moved to sit next to him and he straightened out his legs. He sighed deeply and lay back on the cool grass, bringing her down with him. She lay on his chest and he kept an arm around her.
Above them, stars twinkled. The world was dark and cool. When had he seen dark last? Not just over cast gray, but a true dark night? The stars were beautiful.
He looked back at Elizabeth's face. She watched him carefully. Her features were obscured by the shadows.
"I'm sorry," he said. She shook her head quickly.
"I'm sure I'll be in the same state come sunrise," she comforted him. He didn't say much to that, but resolved to help her when she needed it.
He was so focused on breaking the curse that he hadn't thought of what would happen after the curse. He kissed her forehead.
After a few minutes, she started to trace a finger along the lines of his face. She drew her finger over his eye brows, around his ear, along his jaw. He looked at her, but she was busy tracing along his lips. He kissed her fingers and used his free hand to kiss her palm.
She kissed his cheek shyly.
"I've missed you," she said. His throat closed up with tears.
"I've missed you," he said in a rough voice. He was so emotional! He needed to do something, so he kissed her lips. She responded with as much hesitancy as he felt.
She broke away with a laugh. He lay his head back with a chuckle at hearing it. How many times had he dreamed of hearing that laugh again?
She was back! They were free!