Into The Woods He Sang

Chapter 2: Unwelcome Friend

I quickly dismissed Erin as she ran to her lover, another member who always tried arguing with me and my father about forcing her to follow foolish orders, somewhat outcasted and lucky to be here at all. Mindless squawking saying I tell her to go away instead so perhaps she can find her happiness away from an order that suffocates those forced into line for failure to submit. But I have no choice but to listen... Having undesirable yelling of consequences I've long avoided with reason. She is with a man who glares at me now as I walk to my father's studies, a grand library with dozens of untouched books that speak of anything from unwanted curses, ranging as deep and dusty coated as religious books for the varied hopes people here share, learning to hide opinion despite quoted freedom to their dreams of again touching purity in humanity.
Those untold tales will be spoken by their owners someday though... But this rise is a day for the spine-tingling fear of facing the man who chooses to have control of personal order as well as others, like nothing but a grand range of chess pieces, thrown into place and praying to stand their ground without failure... A strong protector to be thrown in the path for protection was how he saw me... I am nothing more than a buff pawn in his future... A man without reason in my eyes... Respected of fear rather than respect from self-enjoyment such as simple alliance or befriending of another... A man that I force the word father out as a name... His true name is Skoldolfr... The "protector wolf".... A lie my grandmother hoped was true of our blood curse.
Turning to me with his well-firm face, wrinkled with age and agitation of recent events and silver fox-like hair, slicked back like he were some wealthy man, flaunting personal values over the opinion of others, "Finally Mason... My boy... You've been wandering off track again I've noticed?"
"And what if I am? I'm 25 years old..! I'm not some child needing guidance and caged in some egotistical arrangement neither I nor my quoted wife wishes for!", I snapped, moments alone like this revealing my mind to light as I still had hunger and rage to handle after this family's mess.
"Enough Mason. You don't speak to blood in such a way. What would your mother have thought?", he hissed back, our relationship on edge during my youth... And plummeting to nothing after the loss of my mother... Shot by trespassers of the pack... I swore to protect those left after that horrendous day... Terrified of the repetition of history...
"You shut your mouth you power-tripping jerk! She would scold both of us for all of this! Wolven blood worsening our ties at the mere complaint of pride! This is no kingdom for a king and queen! So you dare bring up resting dead and I'll gouge your throat for this hell!"
He appeared shocked by my disgust like some new turn... Overreacting yet again as I've been this way for months... Though with months of seclusion and self-doubt, I suppose a reverse is unexpected. I feel tired of our bickering and bringing up mother will only reignite fires we took weeks to extinguish. He scoffed, rolling his eyes as he grabbed a random book off a shelf of seemingly infinite albums from where we previously resided through the years... Through decades... Through generations and generations, more is yet to come, and find new coping in our minds.
He opened to a page I could barely see having a younger, happier family... Myself... My father... And my Mother... A family before revealed pain... He sighed, looking up from the aged and stained book, tears of past viewers engraving saddened memories to all that see as he spoke quietly, "You... You're right Mason... Hard to see how different things seem... Hmm?... But you must understand I choose these decisions for the greater good of future blood... To pray we can free ourselves of our curse..."
I scoff, turning to the door, already ready to leave, "Go handle it yourself... I won't subject more restraints to the people we have... They are all we can be accepted by... The generations of future hope... And you use them! So handle your shit. I'm gonna be here long after you and then the fear will finally end!"
He sighed, calling for me to "Wait" but by then I slammed the door and headed towards the kitchen to clean and gut the rabbit I'd grabbed... As soon as I entered I saw the one I originally hoped to be with, shocked they were up judging how they were of the few that hadn't slept for half the day, "Amanda? W-Why are you up so early?"
She glanced over to me, softly curled hair bouncing with the sudden shift. She had a hand on the counter, a book of cures to curses and mental distress in her free hand she was hovering over slightly. With a soft smile and brushing back some hair that covered her eyes, responding with her honey-sweetened voice, "Oh Mason! I was gonna make some chamomile tea, having trouble sleeping tonight... Couldn't find it so I decided to just read."
I blushed faintly and nodded. I went to her side, smiling softly, "Wanna join me in prepping a rabbit? I got it a bit ago and maybe it'll help you relax to get a bit to eat?"
She let out one of her childish giggles, bopping the tip of my nose with her finger in a playful mood, "I suppose it's something that sounds good. I don't mind grabbing a bite Mr. Big scary hunter."
I let out a quiet ch the two of us getting started dealing with the delicious rodent's muddied fur. Time seemed to fly as I always felt entranced by her loveliness, one of the few uncursed that stay to help us all. She knew I was a monster... A vicious killer when provoked as such... But she also had such a gentle tender touch that left me always desperate for our relationship to grow and develop, our block being she is the one able to travel to nearby towns for resources and used as everyone else here had been. A peasant to what my father called a "Kingdom" despite the situation being nothing like such.
God how I wish I was able to find a cure so we could be lovers, so the nightmarish restraints were taken away. It feels like the heavenly taunting of those knowing what my curse can cause. A constant reminder that my happy ending will be just out of reach... That despite the permission of the one I married that we could both love other people that it would never be achievable. I must have zoned out to my thoughts as I was brought back to reality by her soft slender hands caressing my face, "Always in your world son... If I didn't know any better I'd think you're depressed-"
I cut her off skittishly, "Wha-? No- I just... Got things on my mind..."
"Well... I suppose That explains the rage hunting. Stressed after the wedding?", she quizzed, knowing I would slip inevitably to her.
"You could... Say that..."
She simply nods and patted my shoulder, "Nobody thought you would accept by choice... Only if forced by Skoldolfr... The bride didn't even want to force that on you... It is truly pitiful..."
I sighed, nodding. She held me in a warm embrace as I felt overcome with sadness. I felt scolding hot tears run down my face as she held me. The fact that I couldn't control this or fix anything was suffocating, making me drown in the spiraling fears and regrets of not caring about the fresh meat we finish preparing, sobbing out as the mess of bloodied fur still stained the table despite caution to prevent it. I could stay like that slipping release for ages with her, vulnerable with the only human that I guard to keep away from the curse. It was almost nine in the morning and exhaustion was slipping into my mind through the saddened and fearful stress, exhausted from releasing so much bottled-up distress.
You adapt though I suppose. You find a decent middle with youthful graze and pain of wilting envy of the freedom others have offered on the poison we call silver. My arms slacked as she finally pulled away, grabbing the prepped meat. I sighed tiredly as she puts it in a bag for later preparations with broths and herbs in a succulent, mouthwatering brine, "I recommend you head to bed, Amanda..."
She yawned, shoving the delicate game's meat onto a fridge shelf as she threw a reply back, "Same for you ya goofball..."
I chuckled at her comment, "That's the plan, Doll."
Simply rolling her eyes we cleaned up and headed off to separate rooms, a prince that wished for an understanding of average equality and a peasant with a child-like personality... It would never work... Would it... Could it?.. Doubting the possibility of change any time soon I figured I'd best get used to the painful reality before me. Going in through the wood-carved door that seemed to creak its agonized wail from my long-expected return. I enter the darkened room, wanting to curl under the softened covers and never get up, similarly wishing to never sleep with battling insomnia against bodily needs. After locking the door, creaking loudly again as it shut, I went to bed, going to lay on the bed, and almost instantly passed out, smiling as it seemed to be my body swaddled by a soft blanket and comfort that I rarely received other than rest that my body neglects to advance with.