The village was quiet except for a few barking dogs in the distance. It was larger than I had envisioned, spreading out over a great area with the school being butted up against the woods on the east. That was the side I had used to make my entrance since it helped me bypass the front lines that were protected by the Ruffians and the trenches that lie beyond them.
Most of the houses were two stories built primarily of wood with thick thatched roofs and a single chimney at the gable-ends of the house. Smoke billowed from it and soft candlelight peered out of the windows from the houses that had not gone to sleep yet. I smirked to myself as I noticed that each house I passed had a Troll Cross hanging on the front door.
I had no idea where I was going, but I made my way through the mud-laden streets, weaving in and out of houses in the darkness. The shadows were my friend. I was stealthier than normal but I knew it was because my mission was critical. I had to confront Constant Thurgood. I would make him see the error of his ways, and so help me, if I had to kill him—if it was the only way I could ensure Elric's survival—I would do it. Even if that meant that I...and my family...would cease to exist.
As I passed a couple of the houses, I noticed that several of them were donned with a placard indicating the surname of the family who lived there, I presumed. Suddenly I was thankful that privacy was not as big of an issue as it was in my time. I turned a corner and stopped in my tracks momentarily before making a hasty retreat.
Standing in front of what could only be Constant Thurgood's home was his Gatekeeper—the large man from the meadow that wore the black eye patch. His wolf-like dog with those beady red eyes was sitting next to him, scanning and searching, waiting to attack.
I swallowed a hard lump down my throat. I hadn't realized how big they were, both of them. I mean I knew they were large having seen them next to Constant, but my sight had been hampered by that bush. Out here in the open they were massive—the man's head almost touching the eve of the porch's roof, and the hilt of the dog's head stretched up to just under the man's ribs. I had never seen a dog so large.
Panic quickly set in.
The man had snapped a unicorn's neck in two, for goodness sake. There's no telling what he could do to a person of my size. And then there was the dog to deal with. I watched him take a chunk out of that unicorn's hide so his sizeable fangs were sharp, and he seemed fiercely loyal to his owner too.
A plan, I needed a plan. And a good one at that. If I could only get into the home and speak with Constant, maybe this whole thing would be like a silly dream. I knew it was wishful thinking, but a girl could dream—couldn't I?
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to clear my head. When my eyelids lifted I saw that there was lattice on the right side of the porch that reached all the way to the roof above it. I quickly formulated a plan and made my way around the back of the home to the other side.
Sticking the journal down the back of my pants, I gathered two stones—a small one and a large one. With my best throw, I chucked the small stone over on the other side of the house to distract the Gatekeeper.
It worked!
He and the wolf-dog walked around to the left side of the house to investigate the noise. As soon as they were gone, I climbed the lattice with the large rock still in my hand and waited for them to return. After determining that there was no real threat, the man returned to his spot, facing away from the house. I scurried up onto my knees and lifting the rock over my head, I released it onto the man's skull. With nothing more than a low grunt, he passed out and fell to the ground.
I turned to climb down the lattice, but the wolf-dog was staring at me now—growling—his bared fangs dripping with saliva. But a candle sitting on the sill of a window to the second floor, just off the roof to the porch, caught my eye and I made a beeline for it.
It was open.
With the half wolf, half dog still growling down below, I quietly climbed through the opening into the warm air of the home.
It was quiet. Too quiet.
The second floor housed only a bed with covers and clothes sprawled everywhere but in their rightful place, and as I looked in the closest, I realized that there were only men's clothing hanging about—which meant that Constant hadn't married yet. My heart sunk at the realization. If Constant had no heirs that meant that my heritage, my father's heritage had no chance of existing if I was to...I mean if I had to...kill him.
I shook my head at the thought, and continued through the house looking for the bane of my existence. But to no avail. Constant wasn't there.
BANG!
The front door rattled and I nearly fell down the stairs from the scare. Large red eyes peered over the windowsill, and then another loud bang rang against the door. Before I could react to what was happening, the beast burst through the door, squeezing his large body through the small frame.
He was blocking the entrance and I looked back towards the stairs, but I knew he was too quick. I'd never make it. I was close enough to the snarling brute that I could see the drool hanging from his large fangs, and my whole body shuttered as he gave a low guttural growl. Instinctively, I took a slow step backwards.
"Easy boy," I said, holding my hands up, a failing attempt to show I came in peace.
The wolf-dog moved closer.
Whether it was guts or pure stupidity, I decided the only way out of this mess was through this dog. So I closed my eyes and opened my mouth...and sang.
Sweet little one, sweet little one
We must close our eyes for the day is done
Sweet little one, sweet little one
I will see you soon with the rising sun
That same sweet tune that my mother used to sing to help me fall asleep, that soothing melody that placated an unruly shelter dog, that peaceful song that helped ease a Peryton's earthly pain—I sang with all my heart and slowly approached the wolf-dog with my hand held out.
The cumbersome beast sluggishly lay down on the floor in the living room, one paw at a time. His growl faltered to a low purr as my hand neared his muzzle. He opened his mouth exposing those large, intimidating fangs and my heart stopped for a brief moment as I contemplated his next move, but instead of biting me, he licked my hand.
"Good boy," I said, petting him. He rolled over exposing his belly and I happily obliged his request.
As I petted my new found friend, I realized that I knew where Constant was—I knew where he would be on this of all nights.
The compass rose.
"Of course!" I said, aggravated with myself for not thinking of it sooner.
I pulled the journal out of the back of my pants and flipped to the page with the compass rose on it. Tonight was All Hallow's Eve and Constant would surely be there, hoping to get another glimpse into the future. If I hurried, I might be able to make it in time.
"Hey!" The high-pitched voice startled me, and the wolf dog, which was now growling at the tall, skinny man across the street. He was standing next to the short, stocky guy that I had seen with Constant that day in the meadow. "What are you doing in Constant's house?" he continued as they approached the porch. "And what'd you do to Gunter?"
"I gotta go, buddy," I said to the mutt before grabbing the journal and running as fast as I could out of the house. I jumped over the body of the 'just-coming-to' eyeless wonder that was still lying on front of the porch. The wolf dog followed me out of the house, growling at Constant's thugs, giving me just enough time to make my escape.
They were still on my heels, though, as I turned the corner, desperately searching the horizon for the old school house. I ducked into an alleyway and made another quick right turn before hitting the ground face first and rolling underneath a porch. I tried to steady my breathing as the pitter-patter of feet sounded down the alley.
Feeling confident my pursuers were gone, I made a slight movement to get out from under the porch when I heard the familiar call of a raven. I froze.
"This way," the thin man's shrill voice pierced the night. "She must have doubled back."
The loud thud of three pairs of large feet pounding on the sodden dirt echoed in my ear as they passed by. The Gatekeeper had joined them in the hunt for me. My heartbeat quickened but they continued on their way up the alley.
I stuck my head ever so slightly out from under the porch and peered up at the raven. It was One Feather. I smiled.
"Thank you, old friend," I breathed as I rolled out from under the porch.
I could hear the rumblings of the village behind me. It seemed that Constant's thugs had enlisted help in finding me, though I was positive they had no clue who I was or what I was doing in Constant's home. I continued to run through the village.
I was a mouse in a maze.
All of the houses in village looked the same, and from my vantage point, I had no idea where the school or the woods were. I made right turns and left turns until finally I came to an edge of the village. A meadow stood before me with a large trench between us. I turned my head both ways and decided that left was the better option.
I looked up to see One Feather soaring above me and before I knew it, the old school house with its white shiplap walls came into view. I smiled at the bird again, and turned right, heading straight into the heart of the woods.
The brush was thick—much thicker than I remembered, and I found the anxiety that I had a year ago, running through these same woods, was miniscule to the apprehension I now felt. My feet were heavy and the thin flannel button-up I was wearing seemed awkward and cumbersome. So I flung it off as I ran.
As I dropped the flannel out of my hand, I caught the sharp edge of a thorn and turned back towards it from the searing pain, but my momentum kept me going forward and I tripped over something. Instinctively, I placed my hands in front of me expecting to hit the ground.
And this time, it met me—hard and unforgiving—knocking the wind out of my lungs.
It took me a moment to compose myself, but from my position on the ground I saw the silhouette of a man standing in front of the compass rose. The imposing figure turned around, and I had to blink twice as the light of the moon illuminated his face.
"You?" I managed to say, though it was little more than a whisper. "You."