Libby comes running behind me "Catherine you are clearly not fine if you need help just tell me I''m your sis-" before Libby could finish her sentence she to was distracted by the idiot boy''s arrival "oh Charles what brings you here?" Charles I guess that was his name? But I don''t think it suits him though. "My brother sent me to give you a message" Charles hand in his hand a lavender flower and a note my sister took it and read it and her face became red and she smiled and she suddenly turned to leave but before she did she told Charles "tell him thank you too!" She said it with a giggle. Gosh she came to help me but got turned around by a note from a man I hope I''m never like that. Charles turns to leave but as he does I remember that he saw the woman so I called out to him "Charles wait!" He stops on his tracks and turns to me "have we met you sound familiar?" "It''s me Catherine" "C-Catherine" he responded his eyes also failing to the but it''s strange I don''t think I ever told him my name. "What happened?" "Nevermind this I think I''m cursed, look!'' I take off my glove showing the oozing goo Charles looks and is appalled by the sight. I put the glove back on "I thInk that woman did this to me" "you mean that witch" "witch?" "You know, a woman who sold her soul to the devil. She just had to be a witch." "Ok but that doesn''t help us find her." "Well I can tell my father maybe he can help us." "No it''ll take to long, I don''t feel like I have a lot time left." "Not a lot of time?" Charles is now small and sad and he looks worried "I feel myself fading, I can''t feel most of.my body anymore I fear the worse" "if we can''t go to my father then what about your mother?" "She thinks I''m mad we''re on our own Charles." "Then what do we do?" "I don''t know but we need to find her." I walk forward not really having a destination. But Charles stood thinking till he spoke "what if we don''t need to find her but bring her to us." I was ready to dismiss his idea before I thought about it it wasn''t half bad "how?" When I asked him, his voice went meek. gosh he really is an idiot but never the less it gave me an idea "maybe we could find something in my library there''s always something there that can help me." "Your library? Doubt it has anything about witches in there." "You have a better Idea?" And with that we run into my castle. As I run there''s a sloshing sound as the substance has started to pool in my helmet.
We arrived at the library and we begin to search for a book that could help but we had trouble finding anything. We searched for almost an hour before I found something that seemed useful a book called "miss savea''s book on anti-witchcraft, sorcery, and demonic craft" savea? That''s my family name yet I don''t know the woman but that doesn''t matter now we found what we needed but as I went to claim the book my fingers wouldn''t grab it they couldn''t bend so went to see what was wrong and I take off my chainmail gloves when I did most my fingers went with it. I watched in horror as my hand slowly fell off my arm. Charles watched his face ghost white "Charles the book we need to hurry" I yell as I do some of the substance gets into my mouth it''s slowly filling the helmet threatening to drown me. "Right uh" Charles picks up the book and flips through pages frantically "I think all we need to do is draw a pentagram and say you want to make a deal" with that we run outside but as we do I fall as both my feet are no longer attached to my body so I crawl on what''s left of my arms. Charles makes the pentagram on the ground I crawl over to it. "Just say I would like to make a deal." "I would like to make a deal..." I began to choke as the green substance enters my lungs though I doubt those are intact either. The pentagram begins to smoke as the wo man appears "it worked Catherine." He looked back to see the substance pouring out of the eye holes of the helmet "Cathy noo" he rushed over and tried in vain to pry the locked helmet off of me. The witch laughed as this was happening "you want to make a deal right? Well come on tell me what you want." She says with sarcasm in mind. Charles still trying to get this helmet off says "you know she can''t" "then you shall be her mouth piece" Charles looking back at me dying "yeah whatever just save her!" "Oh I don''t work for free" she smiles "how about this I''ll save her for her first born child" "her child? What could you from that?" "Why wouldn''t I want the slayer?" He looks confused at what she said but quickly focusses back in "ok you can have it just save her!" With a grin that goes behind her ears she snaps her fingers and I go back to how I was my body in one piece no longer oozing and the helmet falls off I feel my face and it''s fine. I look up at Charles and his eyes are avoiding mine and he says "I''m sorry Catherine i-i sold your first unborn child" I looked up at him I wanted to get mad but I just couldn''t do I said "it''s ok. Charles you did it to save my life." He looked down at me and smiled just then my mother came out to the courtyard "today will be your first lesson and.... Your helmet is off and your face is okay?" I looked at her with a smile "yes mother I''m okay now." She looked astonished "well... never the less we will start your lesson today say good bye to your friend" she says as she picks me up and drags me into the castle I wave at Charles before she closes the doors. We start "lessons" today oh gosh why can''t anything just happen one at a time.
The End
the princess and the werewolfs
I''ve always hated my mother. Though I hate to admit it she''s always been a good mother to me well until now. After that whole goo thing got sorted she started doing what she called "sanity training" no matter how much I showed that I was indeed sane.
I think that''s because there''s no such thing as sanity training I bet she doesn''t even think I''m mad. All she has been forcing me to do is maid work. One time she had me curtsy in front of her and call her mistress, she''s trying to break my spirit I don''t know why but I won''t let her win
Today she''s having me balance books on my head for balance? We''re out in the courtyard doing this "come on all you have to do is walk to me without falling" she says that like it''s easy these books are heavy and these heels don''t help.
So of course I fall over myself. "Oh no no no you feel again" she hit me with that riding crop hurt every time she hit me I think it''s leaving a mark. "Now apologize for your failure" "I''m sorry mother" she hit me again! "No a proper apology" I get up on my knees and bow to her and say "I''m sorry mistress" "there you go now get up and do it again and get that unkind look off your face" no I won''t mother because I don''t want to do this.
As I get up to go get the books all over the ground I hear a voice say "hey Cathy!" I groaned when I heard that and when I turned around it was just as I expected. It was Charles with the same doe like eyes and boyish face but he looks like he isn''t as nervous around me, but he still radiations an air of unconfidence.
He insists on calling me Cathy instead of my given no matter how many times I tell him to stop. "So Cathy how are you" I''m picking up books off the ground what do you think "oh Charles I''m fine" I finish picking up the books and stand up "you could always call me chuck" "of course Charles" I put the books on my head and walk forward.
I get closer than last time but I still fall. Gah my mother scoffed she hit me a few times with the riding crop I heard Charles faintly say "no stop" maybe you could help me instead of whimpering like a dog in the corner. Mother stopped and said "that''s enough for today wash up when you get inside you look filthy" oh I wonder why.
My sister Libby came out of the castle right after mother entered as if she was hiding. She came out wearing that same stupid flower Charles''s brother gave her or how she calls him her "lover" disgusting how she lets her mind be dominated by a man.
Libby comes toward Charles and asks "hello Charles has Everard given you a message to me?" "Oh yes he told me to say on the day the lavenderd bloom my we be together soul and all" she gets all giddy and red in the face well until she finally notices me she bends down to touch me but I pull away from her hand "oh Catherine it''s horrible what''s she''s doing to you." She seems worried but was she worried when she was hiding in the castle or talking about that boy.
"Yeah Cathy why do you let her do that to you?" Now that set me off. "Let her! Says the boy who sits there everyday he comes and let this happen your supposed to be a man you know but no you act more like a puppy to scared to do anything. Why do you even come every day? It''s a four hour ride from here to your home land. Is it to watch me suffer? Or do you come every day hoping this time everythings changed?" I yelled at Charles
The air in the atmosphere gets cold. Charles''s face looks stunned and he just looking blankly.
"Y-you should wash up supper will be soon" Libby said to me as she left. She seemed hurt as she left, I wasn''t even talking about her though?
I get up and head in I go up to the wash room there''s no servants I haven''t had servants serve me since the incident. Mother told them not to but I think there glad they don''t have to touch me.
I get undressed and I start washing myself and I think about my life. Why is it I''m here washing myself like a peasant and nobody blinks an eye like it''s normal I don''t deserve this treatment I have never done anything horrible! So why me? I never found an answer to that question.
I got out got dressed and headed down stairs for supper. They were at the table eating there food well mother was looks like Libby didn''t have much of an appetite. Heck I don''t but I know that if I don''t eat now I won''t be able to eat anything else. God this sucks!
Mother finished eating and she declared "Catherine wash these plates" no no no that''s it you can beat me humiliate me but I will not do housework like a common maid! "No I will not mother!" She looked shocked then that soon turned to anger "you are my daughter. And you will respect my authority!" "I am not a maid!" With that I stomped up to my room.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
When I got there I locked the door. Oh why couldn''t I have been born in a richer family that respected me. Instead I''m stuck with this weak pathetic family who wants to trample all over me! I look out to the courtyard and I see Charles still standing there like a statue but before I could even think about it I heard a loud howling nearby.
I wonder what it could be? Suddenly I heard a loud crashing at my door and a yelling that I can recognize as my mothers. I''d rather face the howling then her. I open the window and climb on the tilted roof but as I look down at the ground it seems I got cold feet I couldn''t jump down I couldn''t move my legs I would have moved back towards my window but the slick roof made another choice. I slipped and feel towards the ground I probably would have died if it wasn''t for Charles.
He went running for me and he caught me in a way with his body, I fell on him. When I looked up surprised I was alive I saw my mother''s very angry face. So I did what any girl would have I took off running into the woods. Not the best idea I''ve ever had but at least I wasn''t alone. Charles came running after saying something to the effect of "Cathy... Catherine wait!". Surprised he can stand after I landed on him but I didn''t have time to really think about because at the same time I realized I was lost.
The loud howling intensifys. It feels like I''m in the heart of the forest it''s a bit scary like somebody was watching me but maybe that was Charles he caught up to me when he did he said "Catherine why did you run into the forest!?" "I-I don''t know but..." I stop talking as the howling stopped my hairs stood on there ends "we need to go now!!" Before any of us could move there was a twig snap followed by low growling all around us they had us trapped and they pressed forward slowly. As they grow close the light reveals them. They were wolves but there eyes and mouths were leaking a black blood. Maybe they were diseased?
One of them ¡ªpresumably the pack leader¡ª stopped in front of me and pounced bearing teeth but before it could bite Charles stepped in front of me it bit into his arm Charles cried in pain as it tore his flesh with its fangs. The rest of the wolves looked ready to pounce on me next but before that can happen a arrow rang through the air and struck one of them in the head. Then many other came with it till one was left. It looked at me it''s eyes and mouths still leaking that black blood bearded it''s teeth as it went in for an attack but a man wielding an axe took care of it. He was followed by three more people.
"Are you alright?" The man who saved me asked "yes I am but what about Charles!" "The boy? We can save him. Just stay here." Two of the men of the group begin to pick up Charles "what? You can''t leave me here in the forest alone! What if another one of those creatures comes for me!" His face remained grizzled until one of the members of his group comes and whispers in his ear "she''s right we can''t just leave a little girl alone in a forest." The man that welded the axe sighed and said "ok but you need to go home before night fall." It was late afternoon so the sun hung low.
They turned and walked deeper into the forest and I followed. After a couple of minutes walking we arrived at a camp there were people walking around they all had scrappy clothing and the was no one younger than 15 there. They took Charles into a tent and a man started examining him. After a while the man started to wrap his arm in something. "What are you doing?" I ask him he looks up and responds with "I''m wrapping his it makes it heal faster" an odd method but I''m not in a position to argue.
After he was done I asked him "when will he be healed?" "He''ll wake up soon and his arm will be healed In about a month or less though he is infected" "infected?" With that the man who saved me and Charles tapped me "we need to talk." He said. We walked outside and he started to speak "you see everyone in this makeshift village has been bitten by one of those creatures. We are all infected." "What do you mean infected?" "When your bit it changes you into a ferrell beast under the moonlight." "A beast?" "Yes a very danger-" he stopped in the middle of his sentence and stared at the sunset.
Everyone else came out there tents they looked solomon. "No no you need to leave now!" Said the man who saved me "I can''t leave yet Charles hasn''t woken up!" "You can''t take him with you anyways he''s infected!" "I''m not leaving without him!" "This isn''t the time to argue just run!" He grunted out before falling to the floor. With moon light peaking through the clouds they all start to. Change their finger nails grow into claws followed by their fingers elongating along with the hair on their bodies grow to resemble fur soon after their mouth snaps and break as they grew the teeth in their jaws sharping. Their eyes began to lose the humanity and compassion that was once there. There transformation complete they growled and roared as they started searching for the next prey which happened to be me. Instead of coming slowly like the wolves they rushed me I thought I was dead I closed my eyes to shield me from seeing my own death. But I didn''t hear the tearing of My flesh instead I heard whimpering and slashing. I opened my eyes and before me I saw a tall beautiful man so beautiful I thought he was a girl at first with long white hair and pale skin his eyes a piercing red welding a sliver sword as he defended me against the wolf men. He said "are you save o'' mother of death?"
To Be Continued
the princess and the dark creator
Instead of coming slowly like the wolves they rushed me I thought I was dead so I closed my eyes to shield me from seeing my own death. But I didn''t hear the tearing of My flesh instead I heard whimpering and slashing. I opened my eyes and before me I saw a tall beautiful man so beautiful I thought he was a girl at first with long white hair and pale skin his eyes a piercing red welding a sliver sword as he defended me against the wolf men. "are you safe o'' mother of death?" He said his voice came sharp though the chaos.
"Y-yes" I said meekly. He then picked me up and ran out the woods. It was a blur he ran so fast we got there before I could even blink.
When we finally stop moving I told him "please go back." I cling closer to him and gave him my best pleading eyes. His though was tinged with annoyance "and why would you want to do that?" "My friend Charles he''s still back there!" After I said that his brows furrowed and he placed me down, he took his silver blade and stabbed a tree. It started to weep black blood from its bark then it''s bark started to crack in such a way it looked like a mouth screaming in pain deep canyons began to resemble eyes as a haunting screech bellowed out of it.
It was horrifying to watch. "This woods is infected with the blood of my master. Soon everything will be." His eyes were apathetic as he uttered these words. He brought his eyes to mine and said "if you go back there you will die. If the lycanthropy don''t get you the rest of the forest will." "Why do you care?" He ripped his blade from the weeping tree and placed it in its scabbard as he responded with "my master has ordered me to protect you.". "Protect me! I don''t even know you or your master" with that said I pressed forward into the woods but with a sudden sword pressed against my neck I stopped "my orders was to protect you whether you like it or not. By force if needed" his eyes were stern.
Oh God in heaven why do I care? It''s only Charles, he only saved my life a couple times but that doesn''t warrant going into some creepy evil woods full of wolf-men and having a sword pressed against my neck. I stumble back and ran off towards the castle.
This isn''t great this isn''t at all great. He''s still following me and for some reason I''m still worried for Charles I need to get him off me, maybe that book. My thoughts are interrupted by a gaggle of servants rushing towards me as I step back into the courtyard. They said things like "where were you?" And "your mother has been asking for you" I tried to push through them but one of them grabbed my arm. unthinkable grabbing the arm of royalty I couldn''t break his grip but I refused to submit though I didn''t need to refuse long. As the white haired man drew his sword the servants neck and simply said "let go or die" of course he lets go.
Maybe he isn''t all bad but still if i''m going to save Charles he''s still a problem. I hurry and run towards the library as I do I hear a servant yell "your mother won''t be pleased!" and in response I yell "good!".
I made it to the library though I had a close encounter with my mother but I was just out of her eye sight but of course that man followed me. I rush to grab miss savea''s book somehow the book flung open on it''s own and to the page I needed ''warding out evil'' it says that demonic beings are weak to silver but to truly purge evil but to truly purge someone of evil you need water infused with the blood of light.
But where would I get that? Just then words appeared on the page saying ''read this Catherine'' what? How does this book know my name? But I shouldn''t be dwelling on that and I start reading the words "ego praecipio tibi ut aperire!". When the words left my mouth I heard gears turning and things falling into place behind the bookshelf after everything was done moving the bookshelf fell into the floor. I look in and I see a cove with lots of anti-witchcraft items. When the man realized what this is he tried to grab me but I already entered and when his hand crossed into the cove it was instantly set in a blaze. It appears that he can''t pass though when I realized I laughed.
But now isn''t the time I need to get the light water. Just as I thought that a bowl of water flew into my hands along with a silver dagger. Before I could even question that a book sitting in the middle of the room flung open and wrote on itself it said ''bathe the dagger in the light infused water to save your friend'' "what! The book is talking to me?" I exclaimed in disbelief but the book just responded with ''there''s no time for that! You need to stab your friend while he''s in his lycanthropy form!".
The book''s right. I need to go now! I rushed out of the room but I didn''t get far as the man stopped me with a blade to my neck. "That sword of yours somehow always finds itself to my throat." I quiped in contrast he responded in dead serious fashion "I told you before to not enter the woods" "you don''t control me! Besides your orders were to protect me wouldn''t killing me be in violation!" His eyes widened as I pointed out the fallacy but quickly returned to his usual stern gaze as he says "I can still injure you." I step closer to his face with a grimace on my face "but I can kill you and by looks of you I bet weak to silver.". We start at each other until he holsters his sword with a sigh "stay by me the entire time." "No promises." with that i started walking off until he suddenly picked me in bridal position. "No not again!" I say as he takes off running fast then the fastest bird can fly.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
We quickly arrive back at the village were the wolf men lived. It was empty with claw marks
All around. "Charles!" I called out with no response, it was very disheartening. "Princess!" The man called out he was bent down at the dirt "there are tracks in this direction l think it was a group of lycanthropy." "Is Charles there to!" "I don''t know." My face drops in sadness but then I look up in determination and run in the direction the tracks. The man comes up behind me saying "don''t run off like that." "You could catch up to me in a second." "Yeah but still." He''s interrupted by the low growl of a group of wolf-men.
They were devouring some woodland creatures. They viciously riped into the creatures flesh I almost closed my eyes but then I realized one of the wolves eyes were browner then the rest, it had to be him! I knew it in my heart. "Charles!" I instinctively called out. Immediately they turned towards me baring there teeth then lunging towards me they didn''t get close to me the white haired man cutting down the closest one.
"Princess! Please hurry and stab your friend." He slashes like he has a vendetta. Though he clearly is struggling to keep them from getting close to me. I dip the silver dagger in the light infused water and run towards Charles. As I get close he slashes at me with his claws though I doge it I just don''t think I could do that again. I slash him across his chest he screams a bloody cry and whimpers it was so loud and painful it made me hesitant. Charles takes this as an opportunity to slash at me again this time it''s stopped by the white haired man''s blade "stab him now!" He cries out. I grasp the dagger and I start running full force at his chest and as I impaled him on my dagger steam started to emit out of him and screams bellow out of him and he starts to return to normal.
I could hear is bones crunch as his body returns to normality. He looked and disheveled his clothes torn and the knife was pushed out of his body. The hole that would have been there normally healed up instantly along with all wounds and scars recent or not.
I couldn''t focus on him long as the other wolf-men are nearing. The man with white hair puts me and Charles over his shoulder and he runs deep into the woods. Eventually we lost them and the man put us down. I go over to were he placed Charles and I place my hand on his cheek his eyes open slightly as he said "Cathy" very weakly before closing his eyes again.
"How sweet" screeched a low gravely voice. I jerked my head to see where the voice came from and I saw an owl but it looked dead and black blood flowed from its mouth and eyes just like the wolves. "The dark creator is calling you mother of death. Your protector will guide you to him don''t take long he doesn''t like to wait."
With that the owl flew off.
"The dark creator?" I questioned "my master" the white haired man said his voice quivered in concern. "We need to go." "What about Charles?" "I don''t know leave him. But we need to go now!" I look at Charles and I try covering him with leaves and I say"I''m sorry Charles I will return soon" with that I turn and walk the white haired man guides me.
On our journey to his master I ask him "your master the dark creator what is he?" His voice stoic he response with "the dark creator is the creator of all before the Creator of all. He filled the universe then the light creator came into being and he and his messenger banished to the forgotten realm. Though his presence in this plane couldn''t fully be erased." "Why did they banish him?" "It''s a reason lost to time." My face grows more serious as I ask my next question "why is he here?" "Because you are here, you''ve meet the witch have you not? That chance has set fourth a series of events that has begun a grand play, a play in which my master is eagerly watching for the end."
Before I could question him any further we arrive at a broken down cathedral and we enter it''s dark and silent until a voice rings out "oh how are great mother" the voice was deep and o so slightly feminine. I looked closer till I saw a figure it was a girl about seven or eight she and wore a ripped dress. Her face was ghostly and her eyes were sunken in and black blood spewed from them there was symbols from a language I didn''t know they went down both of her arms and her finger tips. They made deep canyons in her skin and black blood flowed from them.
She did a poor attempt at a curtsy at me before walking up to me "you know mother I called you here because I wanted to thank you in person for what your about to do for me. Here''s a little token of my appreciation." She walks forward arm outstretched I recoil as she walks forward.
As she continues to press forward I continue to walk back until the white haired man swung his blade cleaving his masters head clean off her body black blood sprays from her neck as the head is removed. "What! Do you betray your creator sable!" She said with anger as a disembodied head. "No master you have ordered me to protect the princess at any cost currently you are a threat to her!" He declares. I''m so happy to hear him say that but my feelings are interrupted by laughing from the head of the dark creator "I guess I did order you to do that whoops." The laughter subsides "I really need to get this done though." And her body runs even faster then I''ve seen the white haired man... I mean sable run. She grabbed the underside of her wrist and with the symbol of her finger tips burns it into my skin. The pain was unbearable and I screamed loud as it happened.
After it was done she said "tell we meet again" and suddenly black blood flooded out of her body and head out of every orifice it drained her body of nutrients and by the time it was done she was shriveled up.
I look surprised at the body then I look at the underside of my wrist and see the symbol. And sable says "that''s a beacon, it makes it easier for him to find you." He turns around and clasp my hands "princess, this is only the beginning of something greater and I promise to protect you!"
The End