Chapter One:
I knew one day my talent would be the reason I met Death in person, whether it be willingly or by force. I just didn't know when that would be or what shape it would take form in.
"Come here, my darling," I said softly while sitting down, the grass beneath acting as a pillow.
I watched him sniff the air, awaiting whatever trap I may have. We remained like that for several minutes until he took a hesitant step forward, his hooves silent against the ground.
"It's okay," I promised, slowly putting out my hand with my palm up and opened, revealing the crisp, green slices of apple I had for him.
His tawny ears flickered at the sight of the unusual food and his black nose twitched. I had fed him several times before, but he still wasn't ready to trust me. I supposed I wouldn't trust a human either, after the horrid things we had done to his kind.
It took time, but it was worth it when the slender fawn finally came to me. He stretched out his long neck so he wouldn't have to come too close and took the food from my palm. I smiled, laughing quietly when he licked up the small bits left.
"See, not all of us are bad," I told him, receiving a head-tilt in return.
I reached out as slowly as possible, seeing his muscles coil at the movement. Still, he hadn't left yet.
"My Todd would be jealous if he knew I was giving another animal affection," I told the fawn and continued to talk when my hand grazed him.
He jumped at the contact but with soothing words, he calmed down. He started closer to me, but his ears flickered again and just like that, he was gone.
I sighed and stood, brushing the dirt and grass off my dress. I was sure he had heard something that I would soon hear too.
I was proven right when I became aware of the sound of a distant voice, echoing in the quiet area: "She's done nothing wrong! You have no need for her!"
I paused, my heart quickening. I knew the voice—that frantic sound would be familiar anywhere. I traveled through the dense forest, walking fast, everything else forgotten.
What I found wasn't what I had expected. There was my father, surrounded by large horses as black as night. They were huge in comparison to the animals I was used to, yet far more gentle.
On top of them were men, covered in thick armor from head to toe; the only part visible were their expressionless eyes. I could see weapons strapped around their waists and I panicked, knowing my father was defenseless.
"What's going on, Papa?" I asked, walking towards the older man who was trying his best to hold himself together.
At the sound of my voice, the men turned together, all eyes on me. It was frightening that they had done so in unison, not a single one off-beat. I resisted the urge to shiver at the intensity of their weighted gazes.
I made my way to the middle, standing close by my father who put a shaking arm around me. His eyes were wide and round with fear, his limbs quivering. Never had I seen him so afraid.
"Are you Rowan?"
The voice responsible for the question was deep and commanding, as if saying no wasn't an option. My eyes met his, refusing to let him intimidate me. I had seen far worse than him—scaring me wouldn't be easy.
"What business do you have here? My father and I have done nothing wrong," I said with an edge to my voice. We were the only ones who lived in the forest, as we preferred.
The man nodded to his men and did nothing else. The simple movement caused them to jump from their horses and swarm on us, yanking me from my father. I screamed for him and fought as hard as I could, but it was useless when their grips were like clamps of steel.
They dragged him away, towards the general direction of our house. If they hurt him in the slightest way, I would ensure they knew just what the wildlife here was capable of.
"Calm down; we mean no harm. Your father is being taken back to your home, and I will assist you there after we have talked."
My head whipped in the direction of the voice and I yanked myself away from the men holding me. They let go after a moment, allowing me to put some distance between us. I considered running towards my father, but I knew I wouldn't make it far before they grabbed me once again.
"What do you want?" I asked shortly, crossing my arms, praying that the men truly wouldn't cause harm to my father.
He looked at me for a moment before taking off his helmet, revealing a head of blonde, almost white, hair. His mouth was set in a straight line, as emotionless as his eyes.
"We are in need of your assistance. You can help us willingly, or we can force you to help," he commanded and I laughed harshly. Threats were meaningless in the forest where the animals roamed. Here, I was the one in control.
"What can I offer you? I'm not familiar with anything but the forest and its life. I don't think I will be of much help," I explained, but deep down I knew it was futile. I knew why he was here and what he wanted from me. No one ever came through this forest, and certainly not guards.
His eyes flickered before he responded, "Are you not Rowan, Tamer of Animals? Are you not the one whispered about throughout the lands, the one people fear?"
I pursed my lips, looking at the trees around us. They were tall: their thick roots hugged the ground as they stretched towards the sky; their leaves snatched up the sun's rays. They had so much beauty, yet it seemed no one else saw it.
"If you were smart, you would fear me too," I finally replied, my eyes landing on the man.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see the others looking at one another, wondering if they had made a mistake. But the man didn't even flinch at my words.
"I'll tell you the details of what you are doing when we are closer to the castle. We have a long way to travel," he said, ignoring my words. Had he simply not heard me, or had something far worse been thrown at him during his lifetime?
"If I help, how do I know my father will be okay? I'm the only one here to take care of him," I said, but it seemed he'd expected me to ask that.
"There is a town nearby. We'll place him there when we're assured you won't run. Then, you're free to visit him as you please."
The town was surely better than him living in the forest alone. The one nearest to us wouldn't welcome him because of me, but another town? They may have heard rumors, but they weren't likely to know anything about my father.
"He is to be given a servant when placed into the town. I don't want him working when his back doesn't allow him to. He's also to be given a nice home, not something you'd stuff your peasants in. I want him treated kindly, as he deserves," I said, meeting his stare head-on.
I knew I shouldn't be making demands, certainly not when I was outnumbered. But I knew I wouldn't be able to do anything when I was worrying about my father. If my father was fine and living well, I would be able to focus.
The man began circling me, walking slowly. I could hear his boots scraping against the ground as if it had wronged him in some way. He was assessing me, challenging me to look at him. But I held my head up higher, ignoring the urge to turn towards him.
"I need confirmation that you are Rowan. Once that is given, I can agree to your conditions. You will also be given money for your assistance, a large amount."
My eyes flickered at the end of his sentence. I loved living in the forest more than anything. Here, I was able to use my talent freely. The animals had grown used to me; some even walking up to me during the day. Here, I was free of human judgement for my difference.
However, living in the forest was hard on my father. He was getting older, and his back was getting worse. Ever since he'd messed it up, he wasn't allowed to work by himself—although he still tried. It was hard for him to move around and drive into town when we needed essential items. Living in a town away from here would be so much easier on him.
I took a deep breath before answering: "I am Rowan, Tamer of Animals. I'm the one who can tame the wildest of beasts. I'm the one who can turn the most loyal dog against its owner. I am the one people fear."