Thread: The Wolf, the Forge, and Love Forbidden - Raivh & Abovetheroses

Alice had just reached the entrance to her garden when she heard it, another wolf. She spun around, eyes instantly looking back inside her garden towards the far wall and beyond, the forest. Another one? So close? Her heart hammered in her chest as her tiny fists clutched at she sides of her dress and hiked it up so she could move faster. A crease marred her pale forehead as her brow drew together, wondering if two would even stand a chance against her brothers. Milady! A guard called out in shock when Alice walked in through the main doors. She was pale and shaking with the night cold, her dress and hair a mess and covered in mud as were her face and hands. Milady are you hurt? The man rushed to side. Leave me be. Alice demanded as she strode past him. The guard gestured to one of the servant girls left cleaning up the party and she hurried after Alice to tend to her. After turning down a few halls and up a staircase or two Alice was about to find her chambers when her father cornered her in the hallway. She tried to stifle the gasp that escaped her. Papa! The man scowled. What you did today was quite the embarasmnet. I- He held up his hand and silenced her. You are my only daughter, and I love you. But these silly notions of yours are going to ruin all of the plans I have for you. He idly picked at a piece of fuzz on his coat sleeve, unconcerned with his daughters disheveled appearance. PLans? You mean giving me away to some lord? I don't want to marry some brat just because you think it will be good for relations papa. The man lunged forward, and despite his age, his strong hand grabbed the girl by the throat and pinned her to the wall. Alice tried to scream but couldn't her hands pulled at his, nails digging into her father's skin so hard he was starting to bleed as she kicked and thrashed. You will marry whomever I say. And if that means you marry Eduward Stavos Then you will marry that old crow so I can have his army. When he released his daughter she dropped to the ground with a dull thud as she gasped for air, tears steaming down her face. You need to start behaving like the woman you are before you ruin this arrangement. Do you understand? He looked down his nose at her briefly before he walked away. Alice sat there for a moment rubbing at the bruised forming on her throat before she used the wall to pull herself up to her feet and then she shuffled down to her room. I need to find that book... She had stacks of books lining her room. On her end tables, on her chests, in corners on the floors. Most of what she did was read. Ignoring the throbbing in her neck she scanned the spines of stacks of books and looked for one specific. Where is it? she cried out in frustration. Milady? the small voice of the servant girl startled her. Alice nearly screamed as she spun around. Get out! She shouted and pointed at the door. The girl curtsied quickly and rushed out. Alice sighed and put her head in her hands before she turned and shoved a stack of books over with a frustrated grunt. It's not here. Her eyes got wide when she remembered. The woman ran across the room to her wardrobe. Full of gowns and dresses of all kinds, she should have been concerned of getting them dirty with all the filth on her hands, but not right now. Instead she was more concerned with what was hidden behind all the clothes. She pulled a small box out and dusted off the top. Inside were a few scrolls and small soft covered books, personal journals. I always thought these were fairy tales... She picked up one of the small books and opened it up before she slid to a seat on the floor right there. The name read Dominic Andresscu, the previous Lord of the keep. Alice flipped past a few pages and found a drawing, it reminded her of the charm the Smith wore in his bead. Is this why it looked so familiar? Because she had read these stories so many times? I have made some decisions today that will forever impact me and my people. I'm not sure if they were the right decisions though... Alice skimmed over the hand written words. I took a child from his mother and brought him to the keep. I can not raise him myself, but my hope is that one day he can do good things for us. Help bridge us. Alice's brow furrowed, when she read these words growing up she never equated it to anything, just a bedtime story. But now, did the past lord bring a wolf into the keep to live among them? Her dark eyes went back to the text. My people will never learn to accept them, maybe I was naive in trying this but I had to do something. I just pray they never find out the poor boy's identity or he too will be slaughtered, and it will be my fault for damning him. Alice held the journal to her chest and frowned. So a wolf had been living among them for years but... Her brain was scrambling. Who could it have been? Was he even still alive? The old Lord died years ago so the wolf would have to be old by now right? Could she even find him? Maybe the smith would know, perhaps that emblem he wore in his beard was a gift from the wolf for making him armor or something and he'd know him. Now Alice had a plan. She just needed to find the Smith again. But first, she needed to change.