Three: Crimson Ashland
1286 Words
Three:
Crimson Ashland
The whole of the village was gathered in our town square. There was a fountain there, with a golden wolf in the center. The wolves would be descending soon. As we neared the center, I was aware of a large shadow towering over me. “Hello, Crimson,” a deep, male voice said. I looked up to see Zaan standing there. He was tall, burly, with brown hair, broad shoulders, and brown eyes.
“Hello, Zaan,” I whispered.
“I noticed you’re wearing brown.”
“Yes,” I said, “I thought it best, given my health.”
“Yes,” he said. “I assumed you would have been wearing gray. That’s what Anya wore. I know you sometimes share clothes.”
I coughed. “Um, I…. I don’t have a sweetheart. That’s what gray is for. Sweethearts.”
“Oh,” he said. “I didn’t know.”
“That’s alright.”
“Miss Ashland…I know that tonight is the beginning of The Mating Season, but I hoped that you might consider me as a possible match. To be your husband.”
At his words, I stiffened. “I…Zaan, that’s very nice of you. But I’ve no intention of marrying.”
His face fell. “You’ve no intention of marrying?”
“No,” I said. It was the first time I had ever spoken the words out loud. But I knew, in my heart of hearts, that it was the truth. I didn’t want to marry. I didn’t want to burden anyone with my sickness, much less a husband or children.
“Oh, well, then…. I’ll bid you good day, Miss Ashland.” Zaan nodded politely at me, then turned away to leave. When I turned around, Anya was looking directly at me. I could practically hear her crowing. I expected her to chastise me.
Instead, I saw her face darken. “Whatever were you thinking?” she demanded.
I shook my head. “Anya, I’m not marrying him. Or anyone. I can’t. I won’t let more people sit through me being sick. And what if we were to have children? They’d have Devils Lung too, and I won’t pass this on.”
“Foolish girl! Zaan was your ticket out of this. If you became engaged, we could have given you a grey dress for the season and had you married by next winter. You wouldn’t have to go through with The Mating Season. Did you ever stop to think about that? The brown dress doesn’t save you, you know. It only means if your chosen, you won’t be forced into their castle. They’ll have to court you from here.”
“Anya, it’s my choice. Besides, I don’t know Zaan. I’m not in love with him. I could never put him through that.”
Anya rolled her eyes. “Marriage is hardly about love, you silly girl. Well, if your chosen now there’s no stopping it. You might as well have fed yourself to the wolves, you----”
The whole of the village stilled. The Lupine Pack had arrived, at least a hundred or more wolves making their way to the center of the village. It was a rarity to see the wolves in their animal form.
At the center, was an old, black wolf, next to a golden one. The King and Queen, I surmised. Another wolf made its way to the front, almost as big as the black wolf but not quite. It was gray, and when it turned around to look at the crowd I saw what color its eyes were and my heart stilled.
Violet.
There was no doubt in my mind who the violet eyes belonged to. Raoul. The Prince of Wolves himself. The Prince, in wolf form, stared me dead on. Then, he let out a roar that echoed through the village. Once he roared, I didn’t hesitate. I took chase.
I ran through the village. If it had been any other wolf, I might have stood a chance. I could have pleaded my case with them. Come to some sort of arrangement like Rina and Isolde had for themselves with Rina’s mate. But Raoul wouldn’t be so forgiving. My one interaction with him had proven that. I had no desire to have anything further than that. Much less be his mate.
I ran, and ran, as fast and as far as my lungs would allow. I could feel them constricting, the blood rising in my throat. I clutched over in pain, gripping my stomach. Drops of blood fell onto the white, pure snow. I was about to fall over. As I went to fall, there was a hand on my shoulder. I looked up into Raoul’s gray eyes.
He was a human now. His wolf eyes were gone. “Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded.
“Away,” I rasped.
“You know who I am. You know what I am. I thought that day in the market….” He was gripping my shoulder tightly now, keeping me steady. His eyes still flickered with rage though.
“You implied I was better off dead because I was sick,” I snarled at him.
His eyes widened. “That wasn’t what I meant at all!”
“What did you mean?” I asked.
“You weren’t eighteen yet. That’s why I called you a runt. I do not care about your illness, Crimson. If you let me claim you, the wolf will cure you of it.”
I stared at him. “What?”
“Wolves have super-strength, and super-healing, amongst other things. When you mate with a wolf---complete the season that is----you become a wolf. You wouldn’t have to deal with sickness. You’d be better, stronger than you ever were.”
His hand was still gripping my arm. I pulled away. He didn’t stop me.
“You’re the Prince of Wolves,” I reminded him.
He smirked. “I’m aware.”
“That means one day, you’ll be King. I’m no Queen, Raoul. The wolf might cure me, but the sickness will always hang over me. It will make everyone question your leadership if you don’t have a strong Queen. I wore brown today to show I wasn’t interested. Let me go through the season in peace, then find someone that truly belongs with you.”
“It isn’t that simple, Crimson. We can no sooner pick our own mates then we could control when the sun rises and sets. The universe has picked you for me, and so it shall be until I part from this world.”
“Then, the universe did you a disservice sir. I’ll not be your mate, or anyone’s.” I coughed again, more blood spilling from my mouth. I wiped it away with my handkerchief. I’d have to wash them again.
He stared directly at me, a smirk on his face. “Ah, but you aren’t just wearing brown, Crimson.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
He reached out and stroked one of the gold embroidered flowers on my dress. I tensed at his touch. “There’s gold in that dress too. Enough gold that I can claim you as mine whether you like it or not. We’ll enjoy the festivities tonight, and then you will come with me to Castle Lupine.”
“And if I don’t?” I said haughtily, not buying for a second that he would do anything at all.
He leaned in close, grabbed my long, dark hair, and sniffed it. “We’ll destroy your village one by one; treaty be damned. Now come along, Little Red. We’ve a celebration to enjoy.” He held out his arm for me to take. It might as well have been a noose. His eyes weren’t gray now, they were violet. His wolf peeking out. Reluctantly, I looped my arm through his, and he led me back to the village.
- Writer
