Huntress in the Castle: Chapter Two (rough draft)

Two:

My fingers are wrapped around the iron of the gate again. I am the only one that close. The others are behind making bets and laughing, bragging despite their fear to even come as close as me.

“I’ll go in first.” One says.

“You’ll chicken out as soon as we open the gates!” Another laughs.

“Fianna, you get off of there.” Craig barks at me.

I turn from the gate, one hand still attached. “Let me go in!” I call to the boys.

“No way.” Finn snaps. “This is as far as you go, young lady.”

“Don’t call me that!” I hiss at him. “You and Craig ain’t much older than I am! You can’t give me orders.” I turned back, wrapping my hands around the great big lock.

“A lass like you wouldn’t last two minuets in there.” Deerskin laughed, I had learned his name was Cillian, but I preferred deerskin because he stank like it.

“You don’t want to poke at Fianna.” Finn defended.

Deerskin laughed. “Then lets let the lass in.” He pushed me aside, smashing the lock open with his ax.

“No!” Craig and Finn started.

“Just come with me.” I scoff as the gate creaked open, yowling like a dying cat.

Finn scowls at me. “I may not be much older, Fianna, but I am still your elder. And in Niall’s absence-”

“Don’t make me laugh, Finn.” I huff. “Five minuets. We’ll go in for five minuets. If nothing happens we can leave and then I will behave myself for the rest of the trip.”

“It’s a good offer.” Craig whispered.

“Four minuets.” Finn sniffed.

I stiffen my jaw. “Ten.”

Finn scoffed. “Four.”

“Nine.”

“Five.”

“Eight.”

“Seven.”

I nodded. “Seven.”

Finn then pushed passed me, walking in first. I skipped in behind him, onto the broken stones and roots that made up the path. Craig came in behind us.

The front door was covered with moss and vines. Finn ripped through them, finding that latch that opened the door. At first, it seemed locked, but with Craig’s help they pulled it open. Debris fell on us as we walked inside.

The entry was smooth marble, some vines and roots had broken through around the edges and were growing inside. It smelled like dust and earth inside and I raced inside ahead of Finn and Craig.

“It doesn’t look too bad.” Craig murmured.

I ran to the staircase and began climbing. The stairs were made of stone and metal and didn’t move at all.

“Be careful!” Finn snapped at me.

I was up on the terrace, looking down at the entry and my brothers who were contemplating following me.

I went back onto the carpeted walkway, leading me down a great hall flanked by crumbled and rusting suits of armor. I knelt down, picking up an old shoe from the floor. It was dusty and molded. It looked like it had once been a fine red suede. The heel was hanging back the fabric and fell from my hand as I inspected it. Behind me I could hear Finn and Craig whispering to themselves.

Looking down the dark hall, I see something that makes my blood stir. I see light! Faint and flickering, I see it, it is too dark to mistake. I race on ahead, disappearing into the ink blackness before my brothers can see me go.

It isn’t too farfetched to believe that someone had snuck in and had been living here. What with all the legend surrounding this place, my brothers certainly each had their own story, it was the perfect place to hide. No one would bother you here! Niall was probably right, people had been passing this place for so long they didn’t think about it anymore.

I knelt before the door, peeking through the crack. It was a large room, and from my view I could see the fireplace and the makeshift bed before it. But I didn’t see anyone inside. I licked my lips and put my hand on the door, gently pulling it open to gain a better view. I began to see shelves full of books.

I poked my head inside, looking all around. It was a library. Great rows of shelves reaching up to the ceiling, framing a great archway with a marbled room inside. Paintings flanked the walls, some had been smashed to the ground, surrounded by destroyed statues. A shelf had been broken down, tossed over. Who could of done that?

I stepped into the room, barely thinking I was just in such awe of how big the library was. I had seen, at most, a handful of books at once.

Above the fireplace I saw a huge window, lit up by the quarter moon outside. I walked into the room, feeling a warm air from the fireplace against my cheeks. The makeshift bed before the fire, I saw, was made up of blankets, curtains, and some pillows and cushions taken from chairs. I also saw some books stacked about it and some plates with half eaten food upon it and a turned over cup of dark wine which smelled fragrant and pungent.

As I came close to the bed, I realized I had forgotten everything my brothers had taught me. I had simply walked into the room like an idiot, not like the hunter I was. Whoever had been in this room had left in a hurry, left their meal, spilled their wine.

They had seen me.

I reached for Grand Tooth in my belt, feeling the hilt and the leather against my fingers. I turned, making a circle to scan the whole room. It seemed impossible to see anything though that wasn’t right before the fireplace.

“Fianna!” Finn shouted, opening up the door again. “Fianna where are you?”

My eyes widened. “Finn, hush!” I hissed, and then the fireplace went out.

I heard Finn shout and then a muffled scream from Craig. There was some struggling, I heard books falling to the ground, something thudding against the walls outside.

“Finn!” I cried out. “Craig?” I raced for the door and I tripped, falling onto the cold floor. It was deathly quiet, save for Grand Tooth clanging. I lifted myself, blinking hard in the darkness, forcing my eyes to adjust.

“Finn?” I chocked.

I heard something walking in the darkness, its steps heavy, stride long.

“Hello?” I whispered.

It kept moving, circling me.

I reached for Grand Tooth again. “We aren’t here to hurt you.” I gasp. “Just let us go and we won’t bother you again.”

“Then why did you come in here?”

I shiver, the voice in the darkness is deep, raspy, and sharp.

“Why are you here?” It repeats, harsher.

“Because…” I swallow back my heart in my throat. “Please…it was my fault.” I say suddenly.

The thing in the darkness stops.

“I wanted to come in.” I say. “I wanted to see the castle. My brothers didn’t want to.” I try to find him in the shadows, but I could barely see anything.

“I don’t believe you.”

I swallow again. “What did you do to my brothers?” I raise myself up.

“I wouldn’t concern yourself with them.”

My breath leaves me, tears flood my eyes. “No.” I find myself growing angry. “If you have hurt them I swear to God I will pay you back tenfold!”

He laughs and I charge in the direction of his voice. Grand Tooth  hits a bookcase and a massive hand wraps around both my wrists, pulling me down to the ground, onto my stomach. A foot comes down on my back and I am pinned to the floor with my hands above my head, I can barely move anything at all.

“I would like to see you try.” Hot breath pounds down on my ear.

“Please! Stop!” I scream.

“Let her go.” A woman says.

I gasp, struggling to try and see who it talking, what is holding me.

“I said let her go.”

The foot comes off back and my arms are released. I kick away, rolling over and sitting up, braced up by a shelf. All I see is darkness before me and then, I feel my eyes begin to grow heavy. Struggling to keep them open, the last thing I see before me if a ghostly white hand that takes me away. I disappear from this world, falling, closing my eyes from darkness to darkness.

I am surrounded by warmth and softness. As I wake, I realize I am in a bed as big as an island. I am shut in my curtains. A four poster bed, I realize as I sit up. Beyond the covers, the air is cold. Looking down, I realize I am wearing a nightgown. I have no idea where it came from, where I am, or how I came to be here. But I wait, listening. Like any good hunter.

The curtains part as if by a wind. I look, waiting to see a hand or a face. But the curtain stills and nothing happens. Was someone watching me?

I crawl out of the blankets and towards the canopy. As I reach to draw them back they open again, and a woman is standing there. Her blood red hair up in a tight bun, soft curls coming down before her ears. Dark eyes look over me.

“Who are you?” I gasp.

“Nadine.” She says softly. “I am sorry about last night.”

I shake my head. “Where are my brothers? Craig and Finn?”

“I put them in the dungeon.” Nadine says, opening up the curtains of the canopy, revealing a tray beside the bed with tea and breakfast. “For their own protection.”

I scowl. “Protection?”

She moves across the room, opening curtain, letting in light. “Yes.”

I get up off the bed, feeling the cold air biting all around me. “Who else was there last night? The one that attacked us.”

Nadine looked over her shoulder at me. “My brother.”

I blinked, but furrowed my brows at her. “Your brother…” I whispered.

“He’s also the one I’m protecting your brothers from.” Nadine replied, turning around. Her massive hoop skirt swinging, rustling. It sounded like leaves in the wind.

“Then why leave me out?” I wave my arm back at the bed. “The bed? The breakfast?”

Nadine‘s head tipped slightly to the side. “My brother as well.”

I open my mouth wordlessly.

“He has a certain fondness for pretty things.” Nadine replied.

I shake my head. “I want my brothers out. I want to leave. My other brothers will be worried about us.”

Nadine’s eyes lower.

“What?” I snap.

She looks back up at me, hands folded across the front of her skirt. “I can’t let you leave.”

I steel myself. “Well, you can’t hold me either!”

Nadine looked up at me, eyes wide. “I see.”

“I don’t care who you or your brother are, but you can’t force us to stay here.”

She turns back towards me. “It isn’t that simple.”

“I don’t care what your reasons are!” I laugh. “Take me to my brothers and let us leave, or you’ll regret it.”

“You are a willful one.” Nadine tucks a curl behind her ear. “But anyone who sees my brother cannot leave here.”

“I didn’t see anyone last night.” I scoff. “It was too bloody dark.”

Nadine blinked once. “But your brothers did.”

I gnash my teeth at her. “Take me to them.”

She nods, pointing to a dressing gown on the wall. I take it, placing it on me as I follow her out of her and through the castle. Down a dark hall then leads into a narrow corridor, dark and black and lit by candles. The air became bitter and I could see my breath before me. Poor Finn and Craig!

She then led me into the dungeon, pointing to a cage.

“Finn, Craig!” I gasped, seeing them raise up to the bars.

“Fianna!” They reached their arms out of the bars to embrace me.

“Oh thank God you are safe.” Craig gasped.

Finn cupped my cheek. “It didn’t hurt you, did it?”

“What happened?” I gasped, holding their hands. “What was that last night?” I feel guilt surge up within me. It was my fault this happened. Whatever had attacked them had been because of me.

“Oh! Oh I’m so sorry!” I cried.

“You can apologize later.” Finn hissed. “Did that creature do anything to you?”

I sniffled, Craig wiped my tears away. “Creature? What are you talking about?”

“Nadine.” That dark, raspy voice seemed to come from everywhere.

The woman turned, looking up the stairs. “Yes, brother?”

“Bring the girl to me. I wish for her to see me.”

Nadine turned to me. “Fianna.”

Finn and Craig were holding on tight to me. “You’re not taking her anywhere near that thing!” Finn shouted.

“You can’t hold her.” Nadine said and suddenly, the boys hands were ripped away from me. They hit the back of the cell, hard, held there by growing vines.

I gasp in shock, trying to reach out to them, but the bars held me back.

“Come, Fianna.” Nadine began walking up the stairs.

I scowl after her. “No! I’m staying here!”

Nadine turned on the stairs, looking at me.

I feel myself shudder in her cold, black eyes. “Tell your brother, that if he wants to see me, he has to come to me!”

Nadine’s eyes shut slowly and she nodded. “I will let him know.” She disappears up the stairs and then I am able to touch my brothers again.

“You shouldn’t of done that, Fianna.” Craig whispers.

“I’ll get us out.” I whisper. “I promise. I promise.”

Finn grabs me tight. “You can’t be afraid, Fianna. When you see him you can’t be afraid.”

“He’s coming.”

I turn, startled. I hadn’t heard her come back down the stairs. She stood there silent and still, like stone.

Then I hear him, heavy, powerful footsteps coming down the stairs. Long strides. I had never heard such steps before. What creature could this possibly be? What could have my brothers shaking so?

I turn back around, seeing him come into view on the stairs. My eyes grow wide, and my mouth opens slightly. But I shut it quickly, and I steel my jaw. He won’t see me shake.

He is monstrous, a massive creature covered in thick, black fur. He has the legs of a crooked animal and feet like massive paws. His waist is thin a long, busy tail curled around it. His back and shoulders are broad, and wide, great horns curving down from the shoulder blades. And his arms, the strongest man in the world had not a chance against those arms. And his hands, wide things  covered in fur, and black leather pads for palms. Sharp, knife like nails grew from each tip. His head, it looked like the giant head of a bat. Great wide ears perked up, a squashed, flat nose at the end of a stumpy muzzle. Great teeth in his curled mouth. Horns coming from behind his ears and curling upwards.

His eyes. For it was his eyes that were the only thing that seemed human. It was this tat frightened me the most. Those eyes. Haunting.

“Fianna,” Finn whispered as I slipped from his grip, going towards this brother.

I stood before him, almost not breathing. Those eyes of his fell upon me, their weight like a million suns.

“Who are you?” I whisper.

His eyes widen and he takes a step back, looking like a cautious dog.

Despite his monstrous appearance and size, I admit to being afraid, oh God, how he terrified me, I couldn’t not call him ugly. In fact, I was in awe of him. Of all the animals and creatures I had seen in my world, he was the most amazing.

“I am Vered.” He said darkly, stiffening back up. “Master of this castle.”

“I can’t believe it.” I whispered. “I have never seen anything…anything like you.” I reach out and he recoils from my touch.

He stares at me, those eyes seem to be trying to steal my soul. “Aren’t you afraid of me?”

“More than I have ever been afraid in my life.” I  lower my hand away. “But I cannot look away. I just can’t believe my eyes!” I shake my head slowly. “Something like you…actually exists in the same world as me.”

“Fianna!” Finn hisses.

Vered growls at him.

“Stop.” I gasp, stretching my arms out. “Please, let them go.”

He turns to me, growling again. “If I do that, you will bring others back to kill me.”

I shake my head. “I would never! We would-”

He roars and I scream, falling to my knees from the shock of it, echoing all around the tiny stone room.

“You will not go!”

“Please! I promise.” I gasp from the floor. “We won’t breathe a word, believe me! We’d never hurt you.”

Vered snarls. “You are hunters. It is what you do.”

I open and close my mouth soundlessly. Then it hits me. “At least let my brothers go. I will stay.”

“Fianna, no!” The twins scream at me.

“Let my brothers go, promise that you will not harm me unless they utter a word.” I say, clasping my hand over my heart. “I’ll stay here. Just please, let them go.”

He stares at me in disbelief. Nadine frowns, she too can’t believe what she has heard from me.

“You would…sacrifice yourself for them?” Vered murmurs.

I nod.

“You can’t do this.” Fin cries.

I turn, standing to meet their arms. “Please. You have to go. You have to tell the others that I am alright. I am somewhere safe.”

“With that monster?” Craig snaps.

Finn shakes his head pitifully. “You can’t trust that beast, Fianna!”

“As long as you promise to never come back,” I say shaking my head.

“Fianna, please!” They shudder.

I have tears streaming down my face. “Please…we don’t have a choice. You have to go home.”

Behind me I hear Vered and Nadine whisper to each other. The next thing I know the cell is opened and Nadine it leading Finn and Craig out. They try to run to me, to grab me, but Vered steps before them, one hand on my arm.

“Let go of her!” Finn screams, almost foaming at the mouth.

I lower my head, near sobbing.

“I promise, man to man, I will not harm her as long as you or anyone you know returns to this place.” Vered snarled.

“You are no man!” Craig shouts.

His hand tightens on me and I whimper.

“You best come with me, boys.” Nadine replies coolly. “Lest you want your sister to loose an arm.”

They look to me, horrified.

“How will we know she’s ok while we’re gone?” Craig suddenly spoke up, his voice like thunder. “If we leave her here, how will we know she’s even alive?”

Nadine looks to Vered who nods.

“She will send a letter once a month.” Nadine explained. “If by the end of the month you do not receive a letter, you can come and kill us. But if a letter should arrive, you keep your promise and you shall never see her again.”

The boys look to me, sated but still furious.

I nod, mouthing “Go.” To them. I manage a very weak smile. “I love you so much. Tell Niall…and Peader…and D’Arcy…I love them all so much. And tell Granny…tell Granny…” I can’t think of her without bursting into tears.

“We love you, Fianna!” Finn sputters. “Oh God, Fianna…Fianna!” His voice fades away and I collapse, my arm still held up by the beast.

“I am sorry…” He says in the silence. “For…for your loss.”

“Let go of me!” I bark, pulling my arm free from his hand.

He steps away from me. But kneels down, laying on the ground like a dog would at his master’s feet.

I wipe my face clean, a few tears still falling down my cheeks. I don’t look at him, don’t acknowledge his presence. Instead I turn, hanging my head in the corner with my back to him. I shouldn’t be crying, I got exactly what I wanted. This is what Granny and the fortune teller were telling about, wasn’t it? I belonged in this castle. My fate was here, somewhere.

But I have lost my family. Niall and all of them. At least I got to be with Finn and Craig. But the others? Granny? Oh lord, what have I done to them? I think about Niall and my heart breaks all over again. He’ll be lost without me! And Finn and Craig, having to go back to deliver the news. I have doomed them.

After another silent cry I stand, dusting off the front of the dress gown and I turn. I am startled, hitting my back against the wall. The beast is still there, his head laid down on his massive paws asleep.

Asleep!

He had been sitting there this whole time, watching me. Waiting for me. I tip-toe silently towards him. He is breathing lightly, a low thunder in the distance. His fur is smooth and black, soft. It rose is tufts around his smooshed face like a lion’s mane, then slicked back at the top of his head then trailed down like a horse’s mane. He braids it, tying it off in the back with a black ribbon. He also wore clothes, a dark tunic and green slacks. Was he trying to appear human?

His long tail tickles my bare feet as it swishes back and forth in his sleep. It is quite pretty, I think to myself. There would be many cats in the world who would find themselves jealous of that tail.

I walk around him, studying him. Asleep, he resembles a cat, sunning itself on the windowsill. He was domineering still, what with his size and the horns on his shoulders and head. But he didn’t look so frightening anymore. And he had been waiting here with me, for me.

I kneel down, just before his great head. His eyes are sealed shut with sleep. Before, when those eyes were focused on me, they haunted me, scared me more than his visage. But that was because they were so human, so strikingly human.

I stand, wondering if I should wake him or go upstairs alone. If I was to live here for the rest of my life I should try to be nice to my new hosts. And it was awfully cold in that dungeon, lots of fur or not.

I reach out, touching the top of his head. “Excuse me, Vered sir?” I tap him again and his ears slightly perk. “Excuse me.” I firmly grip his shoulder and give him a shake.

His eyes slowly open and he looks up at me, and he looks afraid. He pulls back, sitting up right.

I stare at him, pulling my hand away. Simply sitting on his haunches he towers over me. “I’m sorry to wake you I just…I just didn’t think I should leave you alone down here. It is awfully cold.”

He stares at me, ears back. “Uhm…yes. Thank you. That’s very…kind.” He says the word as if he had never used it before.

I nod. “I’m going upstairs.”

He nods back.

I hesitated, twisting my fingers about one another. “Uhm…I’m Fianna.” I murmur unsurely.

His eyes widen and I am crushed by them. Why do his eyes affect me so? “Fianna,” he repeats at the same volume as me.

“I uhm…” I clear my throat. “I don’t know what is to become of me here. I don’t yet know what this all means but…eventually, maybe, we could become friendly.”

“I…I hope for that too, Fianna.” He speaks my name as if it is a something treasured, precious.

I try to smile, but find it forced. “Sh-shall I call you…Vered or?”

“Vered is fine.” He begins rising, standing on his legs. “But you can call me whatever it is you like.”

I nod and turn, silently. I make my way back up the stairs, and behind me I heard him climb as well. At the top of the stairs, I stop and look back at him. His head is down, watching himself climb up. He is unsure on stairs.

When I was fifteen I heard something so sad and lonely crying out in the forest. Looking at Vered, I wonder if it was him I was hearing. All these years, were we both waiting on each other?

“Fianna,” I turn, looking at Nadine who has suddenly appeared beside me. “I have laid you out some clothes. If you will change, I’ll be serving lunch.”

I nod, following her back to what I assume is my room now.

Nadine has laid a dress out on my bed, soft green and ivory cotton. I sit down on the bed for a moment. I have lost my family, but perhaps I have found what Granny has been preparing for me all this time. Have I been tied to a beast this whole time with the red string of fate?