The Girl and the Wolf [Preview]

Chapter 2

By the time the rain fell, the fire had already burnt through half of the Great Bridge. The bridge on the village's end was completely charred and could barely withstand a child's weight while the middle of it was entirely gone. Most of the villagers had come out of their houses to see the damage done to the bridge despite the heavy rain pelting down on them. Garnet stood among them, standing as still as a stone, her forest green eyes staring at the pathetic remains of the bridge.

The villagers began murmuring to one another, concerned that their only path to civilization was destroyed. This soon resulted in cries of panic from a few of them. Garnet was oblivious to everything that was happening around her as a hurricane of emotions spiraled in her mind. There were so many feelings boiling within her that she could only recognize her confusion. She wasn't even aware that the downpour had drenched her completely until she heard Meriana's familiar voice call out for her.

Garnet's head jerked towards the direction of her voice to find the tall woman standing in the doorway of their little home, making a gesture with her hand to urge the girl to come back inside. Without thinking, Garnet walked back to her warm and welcoming house. She realized after stepping inside that it was what she needed. After witnessing the depressing sight of the burnt bridge and being soaked by the heavy downpour, she felt glad to be somewhere familiar and comforting.

Meriana quickly put a woolen shawl over her shoulders once Garnet had set foot inside. She turned to shut the door behind her, sealing them away from the frightful storm, the ruined bridge, and the negativity from the panic-stricken villagers. She turned around and took in the sight of the brunette.

"You're completely drenched, Garnet." She said, taking her cold hand and guiding her to the fireplace. "Come here."

Garnet let the older woman lead her next to the warm fireplace without protest, silently reveling in the heat of Meriana's hand as it clutched over hers. She hadn't known how cold she was until she felt the black-haired woman's sudden touch of warmth on her freezing skin. The older woman released her gentle grip on the brunette's shaking hand so Garnet could crouch down and hold out her numb hands in front of the crackling fire. Meriana placed her hands on her hips and exhaled a sigh. "It's best that you take a hot bath afterward, we wouldn't want you catching a cold anytime soon."

Garnet was about to nod when a faint creaking sound interrupted her. Both she and Meriana turned towards the source of the unexpected noise to see Knox standing on the bottom step with his skinny arms draped around the wooden railing of the staircase as he stared at them with innocent eyes that betrayed slight fear.

"Knox, sweetheart, what are you doing down here?" Meriana asked, walking over to her young son. "I thought I'd told you to stay upstairs?"

"Is the Great Bridge really gone?" the little boy blurted out, causing his mother to halt in her tracks a few steps before reaching his side. Knox was unfazed by her questionable reaction and continued, "Are we not going to give Grandma lemon cakes anymore? Or send her letters?"

Garnet watched as Meriana slowly unfroze from her spot and closed the short distance remaining between her and her son. She placed her hands gently on his shoulders and bent down so that she could look him in the eyes. "Yes," Meriana murmured. "The bridge is gone."

The brunette could see how hesitant she was about telling Knox of the tragic news from the tense set of her shoulders. "But it's nothing to worry about," she carried on, stroking Knox's brown hair. "It's getting late, sweetheart, it's best that you get to bed."

Knox shook his head without even a hint of reluctance. "Not until you tell me a story. Are you not going to tell me one tonight?" he stared at his mother with sad eyes.