There in front of my eyes, two young men, Abel and Noah were carrying my father. He looked so frail and wasn't awake.
"We don't know, we found him like this, when we were out hunting right after sunrise."
It was Noah that spoke and he went on.
"We took him to the village healer, she had a look at him and found he had a fever but no visible wounds on him."
"She told us to tell you to make him comfortable and to make sure his temperature doesn't go up again."
"She'll come and check on him later."
I had lost composure and my hands were shaking a little.
"Where should we put him Isabel?"
Abel asked softly with pity in his eyes.
I need to get a hold of myself! My father needs me right now.
"Please come in, follow me."
They did and they helped me gently lay him in his bed.
"Thank you so much, both of you. For what you've done for my father. You both may have saved his life."
I told them this sincerely with the brightest smile I could muster.
They both smiled shyly, "it's nothing really. We are glad we could help. Let us know if you need anything."
"Thank you"
I was seeing them to the door when Mrs Bernard arrived.
"Dear girl I heard what happened, is he alright?"
Her question brought tears to my eyes unbidden. Because I truly didn't know.
"I don't know, they said they found him like that and he won't wake."
She immediately wrapped me I a warm motherly hug.
"He will be fine Isabel, alright?"
I nodded before she let me go.
"Now I will go see if he will need anything or if he needs anything now. You will go make dinner and make sure you make some soup, so that he can have some when he wakes up."
I was glad I had something to do to keep my panicking at bay.
***
"He is awake." That was all Mrs Bernard said to me, I was already up and running towards my Father's room.
"But He's a little confused and it seems he can't move his left arm. He's been mumbling about a very vicious monsters and a magnificent castle. He also can't move his left arm."
This made me stop and turn around to look at her.
"The healer thinks he's had an apoplexy. She says he needs to see a real physician, like the ones they have in the city to confirm and treat him."
An apoplexy is a brain attack that happens when the brain is derived of oxygenated blood. Unable to move his arm...that meant paralysis.
Dear gods...
I nodded not really trusting my self to speak and went into my Father's room.
"Mon-mmm-mons-ter...! My g-g-godds it-t-t w-wasss so h-h-hediousss..."
"He needs to see a physician for treatment in the city which is very expensive."
Alice said softy, "all I can do is help him rest and feel more comfortable." She was packing are things to leave. I nodded, thanked her for coming and she left.
"Papa how are you feeling? Do you need anything?" I said this as I knelt by his side, taking his right hand in my hands.
He was still mumbling incoherently but as I took his hand he stiffened and turn towards me. His eyes went wide as if he was seeing me for the first time since I entered the room.
"Iss-a-bel! ou're h-ere, I-i-i h-ave to k--eep ou s--afe, a--way om thaaa ter--rib--le, ter--rib--le oonster thaa ives in theee ma--gni--ficent cast-le."
"What monster papa?"
I was crying now because I have never in my years seen my father scared of anything. Now he looked truly terrified and it broke my heart.
"T-t-he o-n innnn thaa aa-stle in thhhe o-o-ods, ee wa-n-tts o-o-ou, sss-a-id ee ill t-akkk-e oou inn m-my ss-tea-d. Ii-i imp-ly ca-nn-ot al-lo-w ittt !" I m-ust ggg-o ba-ck, I m-ust!"
"I won't let any monster take you!" He'll have me to contend with, no harm will come to me or you papa I promise"
What had he seen in the forest?
Any other person would think my father has gone mad. But I saw the seriousness and fear in his eyes and I believed he saw a monster.
"What happened to you on your way back home, tell me please..."
It was difficult for him to speak clearly, he was really struggling with his speech. But he managed.
And I was able to put the little bits of what he was mumbling together.
He had started his journey back home really early. A man had given him directions of a shortcut through the forest that will get him home in no less than a day.
He came upon a castle and the monster that lived in it.
Talking about the monster frightened and upset him so I let it be.
"It's alright papa, rest now. I am here with you."
I had forgotten that Mrs Bernard was still in the house.
"Do you believe that story child? He doesn't seem to be in his right mind at all."
"I believe he saw something in the forest."
"Do you mind watching him for a while. I would like to go ask Abel and Noah where exactly they found him and of they would kindly help me find our horse."
Miss Bernard agreed instantly, I would ask the boys for direction only I'll do the looking myself. I didn't tell her this because I wanted to spare her the worry. And I was quite capable of finding Bolt myself.
***
The next day after making sure my father had what he needed and was comfortable I left him in the company of Alice. She agreed to stay with him all day.
I was going into the woods with the directions Abel gave me. I need to find Bolt he was the only horse we had and if I was being honest I needed to find whatever it was that my father saw that frightened him so. Because in reality all he told me was too good to be true.
So I took a small bag filled with provisions(bread, cheese and some dry fruit) better to be prepared for anything.
My Father's revolver strapped to my thigh underneath my skirts and a very thick wool cloak rested about me.
I also had a star map of Ursa Major to help me find my way if I happen to get lost, at night.
One can never be too careful, but I do hope night fall doesn't meet me in the forest. After checking the items I had taken again. I set out in to the woods.
I took the entrance to the forest normally used by the hunters, at the entrance to the village. Which had the travellers road to the right.
It was passed midday, I had trekked passed where my father was found and eaten most of what I brought with me. The vegetation was thicker, the forest floor was almost invisible as it was covered with thick grass and tall plants.
I could hear birds chirping, wild dogs or were they foxes barking and some unfamiliar sounds. There were a lot of bugs, some were friendly(they let you be). And others were too friendly or downright hateful ( they got in your clothes or got in your clothes and bit you.)
This was really exciting for me, being out here in the forest alone like I was on a real adventure.
I didn't notice at first that I was loosing daylight and I really didn't think this through. I had walked the whole day, miles into an unknown environment and it would surely take me the same amount of time to go back. And it was almost dark.
Should I turn back or move forward, I was conflicted.
Maybe if I go little further I would find Bolt or whatever scared my father.
Did I want to find it? It was getting dark really fast.
Would I be able to see when it got really dark? I really, really didn't think this through.
Well the pack of wolves that ran into me decided for me.
While I was still deep in contemplation, I did not notice there was howling now. Howling from either a pack of wolves or wild dogs not far from me. From the direction I was coming from, and was getting closer.
I still didn't notice it dying down, until I heard growls behind me.
I turned around slowly and found a pack of 5 very unfriendly looking wolves looking at me. And make no mistake, they looked at me like I was dinner.
I read a book once that said; look a predator in the eyes without any fear don't run from it stand your ground and show them you are superior.
Whoever wrote that book has never seen 5 pairs of yellow eyes staring at them in partial darkness.
And which bloody eyes should I be looking at? All of them?
I will never tell this part of this story to anyone.
Because when one wolf growled and advanced towards me the others moving towards me I turned around and alas I broke into a run!
Forgetting I had a gun! completely forgetting!
Crazy, I know, I thought I could out run them.
They caught up easily and I, instead of running faster tripped over a rock and fell face first.
I flipped my self over on the ground quickly facing them, I let out an angry scream. The wolves were about pounce on me.
We were in a clearingy now, the vegetation was sparse and a full moon hung in the sky.
When suddenly a loud growl that sounded more like a roar cut through the air.
It made the wolves stop in their tracks and whining, they fled.
What was that? Still laying on the ground I asked myself.
What was scary enough to make a pack of wolves run away?