People get lost in the woods all the time. If you think about it it is probably one of the easiest things to do, especially if you don't know how to locate your way around.
Earlier this morning my peaceful almost dead-like sleep was interrupted by the echoing sound of two women screaming. It wasn't the normal bonjour I have grown used to hearing, these screams were not ones of joy but filled with terror and concern. For nearly ten minutes those two women ran down the streets calling out the same two names. Peter and Louis. Teenagers. Best friends. Lost.
Everyone is gathered in the town square. The normal morning routine has been pushed aside. Pierre is standing alongside the two women who are sobbing so hard they are struggling to speak, but we got the gist of the story. When they woke up this morning and went to check on their sons they did not find them. It wasn't until Peter's uncle stepped forward and told them how the boys were wanting to look for the castle from the story that we all knew what happened to them. They had gone into the woods.
Idiots, in the daytime the woods can be a hard place to navigate but at night especially in the conditions around Belles Collines, it's downright impossible.
While I listened to Pierre assign people into groups and give them each a task I notice Gaston standing at the far end of the crowd. His eyes scream worry. He's been in those woods. He's been to that castle and he has not only been face to face with the supposed beast that lives there but now has a scar to prove that he did encounter something out there.
I silently slip past all the people in my way and stand next to him.
"Are you going out there?" he asks me but his eyes don't waver from their focus on Pierre.
"I'm still not sure. I know it's the right thing to do but I don't know these people," I quietly laugh at myself and shrug, "I know that made no sense but it does in my head."
He smirks. "I know exactly what you mean and for the record," a moment of silence settles between us before he whispers, "I think you should go out there."
"Let me guess I should go out there because I want to be part of this village so therefore I should join in."
He scoffs. "No, because you are the only person who has a shot of not dying or fucking up in there."
I look at him shocked, "I wasn't expecting that answer."
He looks over at me, "I heard about what you did with the hunting group yesterday. I must admit I was impressed. That's the best shot I've heard of in a long time."
"Thanks, I guess," I give a small smile but it falls as quickly as it came, "Are the people here really that bad at hunting?"
"At this rate, I'm surprised we all haven't started to death and the butcher is still in business."
"Okay, let's get moving we need to find those boys!" Pierre yells and claps his hands.
Loud murmurs rumble from the dispersing crowd.
"Go with them, Valerie." This is the last thing he tells me before he walks away.
I rush up to my room and grab my father's- now my- bow and set of arrows. If that beast does still exist I will need these. Getting into the same group as Pierre and Adrien we start our journey out into the woods and hopefully be home before dark.
Gaston did have a point about these people's tracking skills. I watched a few people walk in a circle. It didn't take long before Pierre, who isn't too bad at this I must say, had to go further up and lead from the front leaving me trailing behind with Adrien.
He leans over to me and knocks on my shoulder with his. I don't pay him any attention so like any child who wants attention he continues to nudge me.
"What do you want enfant?" I snap.
"Such a feisty one aren't you, louve? At least you don't have a knife this time," he chuckles.
"That doesn't answer my question."
"Well, I figured since you and I will be seeing a lot of each other for the next however long you intend to stay we might as well get to know each other."
"Shouldn't we be more focused on I don't know finding those two lost boys before something bad happens to them."
"We have time till we see them why don't we fill it up?"
I sigh. "What do you want to know enfant?"
"Where did you get that bow?" he asks.
"It was my father's."
"Okay, now it's your turn to ask a question."
I roll my eyes. This is ridiculous but if it helps pass the time then I guess I'll amuse him. "Fine, how old are you?"
"Twenty-one. You?"
"Same."
"Cool a friend my age."
I stop dead in my tracks and turn to look at him. "Woah just because I agreed to answer a few questions doesn't mean that we're suddenly friends."
His smile and goofy demeanour fall away and are replaced by sadness and pain. "Yeah, I figured as much." He shoves his hands in his pockets and hurries away.
I sigh as I watch him walk away and kick the dirt around me with my feet. Great job Valerie. Real great job.
I don't know how the hell I got separated from everyone. One minute I was scolding myself for hurting Adrien's feelings which is odd because normally I don't care about random boys' feelings and the next I was standing all alone.
I must be far off from the crowd. The area here is denser than the rest. Darker too. It's almost like the trees are pushing the sun back. It's like it is not allowed to shine down here. Going back will be difficult since I don't know how I got here so I'm hoping that if I keep going forward I'll catch up with the others.
I keep moving forward and forward and forward. The further I go the denser and darker it gets. I'm being trapped. I have resorted to walking sideways so that I can fit between the trees. It's getting harder to breathe.
Suddenly the space between the trees gets wider revealing a pathway.
It's broken up but a pathway nonetheless.
It might just be a way out so naturally, I follow it. Even though I'm deeply confused about where it's taking me I keep going.
A gate.
It leads me to a large metal gate. Standing behind it tall and broken is a dark and intimidating castle.
It can't be!
This has to be a joke.
Using both my hands I manage to push the gate open. It creaks loudly as it swings open, this sound spooks a murder of crows that were perched in a nearby tree and they fly away squawking.
Keeping my bow armed and at the ready, I follow the extremely broken-up pathway to the entrance door. Large, wooden double doors with a rusting door handle shaped to resemble the face of a lion.
Taking long and quiet breaths I slowly open the door to the castle and step inside.
The distant yet distinct sound of the gate at the entrance of the castle grounds opening woke me up from my deep sleep. I look over my shoulder to see Belle still sleeping soundly. She always sleeps like the dead when she has her nap. I'm not as fortunate so the smallest of sounds wakes me.
Trudging out of bed I walk over to the window and peer out from behind the curtain. A young woman holding a bow and arrow in her hands is walking up to the door. I know she is from the village she would have to be since only those imbeciles still know about this castle but she seems different. She has an air of confidence around her. One that I would see in the soldiers that my father had around the castle long ago. She is a warrior.
But that doesn't mean I will let her come in here and disrupt everything. Quietly I leave my room and head downstairs to greet my unexpected and unwanted guest.
Although I am filled with fear of the unknown of what lies in this castle, still alive or dead I can't help but marvel at the beauty of some of the artefacts still kept in a somewhat orderly manner around the room. It looks like someone is still trying to keep the place tidy, although they are failing miserably at it.
The artefacts may be in order but they and everything else in this room and probably beyond are covered in dust. The carpet is filthy and slightly damp and the walls are chipping away. The chandelier that used to hang from the ceiling is now buried In the wooden floor the shards from the decorative glass that made it up are spread everywhere.
Furniture is broken and torn, windows dirty, and so many things out of order yet seem to still be taken care of. Somebody or something is still in this castle. A deep growl trembles from above the winding staircase solidifying my guess.
I aim my bow in the direction of the terrifying sound. My breath catches in my throat and I almost drop my weapon. A giant fur-covered beast standing at seven-feet tall is standing at the top of the staircase glaring at me with menacing eyes.
It is finally time for them to meet. Are you excited because I am?
Translations:
Enfant= child
Louve= wolf (female word for wolf)