章節 3: IMPORTANT GUESTS
Present day
The wind whipped through my hair as I ran in the woods. I could feel the adrenaline rush through my body as I ran faster. I looked behind me and I could see a blur of grey fur and it was gaining on me. Without another thought, I took a sharp left, narrowly missing a tree branch that almost smacked into my face.
I was about to take another turn when I was suddenly attacked from behind and I tumbled into the snow, rolling with a grey wolf which soon had me pinned beneath it. I looked up at the wolf's blue eyes as it started growling at me and I just laid on the snow, awaiting my fate. I was still waiting when the wolf leaned down and suddenly liked my face sloppily.
"Ewwwww" I groaned as I pushed it head away, "Alright blue, that's enough" I told Blue who finally got off me and started jumping around. I'm guessing it wants to play some more.
I laughed as I picked myself up from the ground and dust the snow off my clothes. Blue came over and nudged me with it head, asking me to play with him again.
"I'm sorry Blue, but I can't" I apologized bending down to scratch the spot behind it's ear he likes so much, "I need to go home" I informed him and he let out a whine as it sat on the ground.
I smiled as I looked at him, he had grown so much since the last time I saw him. I had saved him from getting killed by poachers when had killed his family when he was a young pup. I had saved him when he was a baby and had him hidden. Ever since then, we got close and there was also another reason why I kept him around.
For some reason, I could understand animals. I know what language they speak and they could understand me as well. I don't know how it happened but I realised I could speak to speak to them ever since I was a kid. I first knew about this in school. The teacher had gotten a guinea pig for an experiment but it suddenly spoke in my mind in a terrified voice, asking me to save it which I did.
Of course, that didn't go well with the other kids because they started calling me a freak when I started speaking to the guinea pig and freed it from the cage. The news reached my father who reprimanded me me and took me to see a therapist. The therapist came to a conclusion that I needed to spend more times among people and that my lack of friends was what prompted me to speak to a guinea pig. He was right in a way, I had no friends. No one wanted to be friends with a red haired witch.
I learned to hide my abilities around people and that was when I met Blue. He was my only friend, we understood each other and we have one thing in common, we are both alone. I was stroking Blue's fur when I noticed time had gone. I needed to get going.
"Okay Blue, I need to get going" I informed Blue who let out a whine in respnse, "I'll see you soon, I promise" I said then placed a kiss on top of its fur.
After making sure Blue had gone to his hideout and he was safely hidden, I draped my cloak over my shoulders and started heading home. I got home just before they could serve breakfast and thankfully no one was downstairs.
"And where have you been young lady?' I was about to enter my bedroom when that voice stopped me.
I turned to look behind me with a sheepish smile on my face, "Hey Cruzita."
"Don't tell me you went into the woods again" Cruzita said in a stern voice.
"Whaaaat?" I drawled out in a high pitched voice, "Of course not, why would you thin that?"
Cruzita arched a brow up at me, "Because you tracked snow into the house and you've got a twig in your hair."
Shit! I mentally cursed as I reached up to remove the twig from my hair. Cruzita let out a sigh and I peeked at her from my eyelashes to see that she was looking at me with a tired look on her face.
"I'll never understand you Arianne" She said looking at me tiredly.
I looked down at my boots, "When has anyone ever?" I mumbled to myself.
"Because you never give anyone a chance to Arianne" Cruzita sighed exasperatedly, "When was the last time you sat with someone and have a conversation with them? You are always locked up in your room reading a book, or running into the woods doing God knows what!"
"I do have conversations with you" I pointed out with a smile.
Cruzita wrinkled her face at me, "I don't mean me, I meant people more your age!"
I let out a sigh, then reached up to remove my cloak, letting my hair tumble down my shoulders.
"Look at me Cruzita," I told Cruzita who stared at me with a look of sympathy, "You are the only one I know who isn't scared to sit down and talk to me or scared I would put a hex on them, kids take a look at me and think I would place a curse on them when they sleep. People think I'm a freak Cruzita! Does that answer your question why I can't have conversations with people?" I shouted at Cruzita who was still looking at me with pity and I hated it.
"Arianne, I..." Cruzita started to say but I didn't want to hear it.
Instead I went to my room and l slammed the door. Dropping my cloak, I walked towards the mirror and stared at myself. Different colour of eyes stared back at me, one brown and one green and my hair, still the same fiery red. I remember when I was sixteen I decided to dye my hair, just to fit in. I tried bleaching it into a brown colour and It worked! Only for a day though because when I woke up the next morning, it was back to the normal colour, red!
I stared deep at myself in the mirror trying to see if I resembled my dad in anyway but I just don't see it, well maybe my right brown eye I guess. Cruzita says I look like my mother, not like I remember her though. Her memories were starting to fade and Christine already took down pictures and paintings of my mother in the house so there were no traces of her in the house.
I wish I could remember her though, what she looked like. Maybe if I did, I'd feel more human and less like a freak, I thought to myself as I stared at the mirror.
'You should come down for breakfast, your dad wants you there" Cruzita interrupted my thought from the other side of the door.
I let out a sigh as I began to shred out of my clothes to change into something more appropriate. Papa would have a stroke if he caught me putting on shirts and trousers.
"A lady is supposed to act with poise and grace, that's how she gets respected in the society" Papa always says but I think he got me mixed up with Rissa who finds any excuse to play dress up in expensive dresses.
I opened my wardrobe and pulled out a black flared dress. I wore it and it fell down all the way to my legs. I draped a black scarf over my head to make sure my hair was well hidden. Even when indoors, I needed to cover my hair, papa's orders. I guess that way, I'd seem less like a freak to him and more normal.
When I was done, I opened the door and climbed down the stairs. I went into the dining room just in time to see Cruzita set my table but the rest of my family had already begun eating.
"Good morning" I greeted as I made my way to my seat and they all mumbled a greeting back at me.
I picked up a scone and I was halfway buttering it when my dad asked a question. "Where have you been Arianne?"
"Um, you know, nowhere in particular just around" I gave a jumbled reply then shoved the scone into my mouth.
My dad decided to look up from his food and at me, "That's not an answer Arianne, where have you been?"
I cocked my eyebrow up at him, since when did he care about where I go? I mean he barely notice it when I'm in a room with him, let alone step out if the house.
"How about we just leave her alone my love?" Christine suddenly spoke up and I turned to look at her, "Cut her some slack, she is after all already of that age where she makes her own decisions and is finally ready to start getting the call of suitors?" Christine finished waggling her eyebrows at me while I gripped my fork tightly as Rissa busted out laughing.
"A suitor?" Rissa asked amidst fits of laughter, "Who'd marry her?"
"Alright that's enough Rissa" Dad chastised but I looked away and instead focused on finishing my breakfast.
I heard my dad sigh, "Listen Arianne, I just don't want you to get hurt and we can't protect you if you don't stay with us and talk to us, I...I just want you to be safe is all" My dad finished looking at me with those brown eyes of his.
"Is something happening Papa?" I asked because he was acting strange.
My dad perked up at that, "Nothing, nothing, I'm just a little worried about the selection is all."
Oh right, the selection ceremony! I thought to myself wryly. Today was going to be the night of the full moon, a day the werewolves worship their moon goddess and come into our town to select a girl to take along with them.
No one really knew where the girls are been taken to do and no one bothered to ask because it cannot be anything good. While some of us are terrified at the thought of being taken to serve the beasts, there are some girls in this town who looked forward to it.
They think of it as nothing but something out of a fairytale book, the beauty who tames the beasts and they look forward to it. They even go as far as dressing themselves up just to be selected. I think it's stupid though and I'm glad I'm too much of a freak for anyone to choose me as their mate.
"So what do you plan on doing today?" Dad asked but before I could answer Rissa dropped a huge announcement.
"I'm engaged!" She squealed in excitement.
What? I thought to myself as I stared at her in shock.
"Oh my heavens! Really? To who?" Christine squealed sharing the same excitement with her daughter.
"Thomas Kirby!" Rissa announced and the cup of water I was about to drink stopped midair.
"Thomas Kirby?" I asked and everyone turned to look at me.
"Wow sis, I didn't think you'd know anyone in this town, I'm shocked" Rissa said with mock surprise and I rolled my eyes at her.
Just because I didn't associate with the people in town doesn't mean I don't keep my eyes and ears open. Besides everyone knew who Thomas Kirby was. The most eligible and handsome bachelor in the whole town. He had dirty blonde hair, eyes as blue as the ocean with a smile that could charm the panties off a nun. He was also the mayor's son, but the thing about Thomas was that he was a bit of a man slut and this wasn't news to anybody. I don't understand why Rissa suddenly wants to get engaged to him.
Rissa could get any guy she wants without much stress. Rissa has always been beautiful right from childhood. She had fair porcelain skin and her blonde hair was so full it cascaded down in golden waves all the way to her waist. I could remember the first time I saw her, I was so captivated by her beauty I thought she was an angel, but clearly she wasn't because she exist to make my life miserable. I still don't get why she wants to marry Thomas Kirby though.
"That's great honey, I'm proud of you" Dad said beaming at Rissa who grinned at him.
I cocked my head to the side, "You can't be serious" I spoke up looking at my family.
"Something the matter Arianne?" Dad asked as he stared at me.
"Yeah, Rissa can't marry Thomas Kirby!"
"And why is that?" Rissa asked blinking at me.
"Because he's a slut that's why!" I said getting angry.
"Language Arianne!" Dad chastised me dryly as he drank his wine but I ignored him and turned to look at Rissa.
"And engaged? You guys just started dating two weeks ago, you barely know each other!" I pointed out still not believing the news.
"Awww, well thanks for the concern sis but Thomas and I love each other, something you clearly have no experience with" Rissa cooed at me and I rolled my eyes.
"Love?" I scoffed in disbelief, "Is that what he told you?"
"Okay enough Arianne!" Christine said sternly, "No need to be bitter about your sister's happiness."
"I'm just looking out for her, what's so wrong about that?" I asked in disbelief.
"Rissa is a grown woman, she makes her own decisions!"
"Yeah right!" I scoffed at Christine who narrowed her eyes at me.
"Besides, the only person you should look out for is yourself" She said in a stern voice, "You are not getting any younger Arianne, very soon you are going to need to bring home a suitor of your own and if you don't have one we will marry you off!"
What? "Okay, you can't be serious" I scoffed at her but Christine wasn't laughing at me which told me she was serious, "Papa?" I called looking at my dad for help but he just looked at me with a tired look on his face.
"Your mother's right Arianne" Dad agreed with Christine and I shook my head at them as I stood up from the dining table.
"And where do you think you are going?" Dad asked me.
"To my room" I answered not bothering to look at him.
"Alright but we are having important guests this evening, I'll need you there" My dad announced stopping me in my tracks.
"Important guests? Who are they?" I cocked my head at him.
My dad averted his gaze from me and picked up the news paper that was on the table beside him, "Just some important people from next town."
I frowned at that, my dad was clearly hiding something. Looking at my whole family now, I think they are all hiding something from me but the most important thing of all was who are the important guests and why does my dad need me with him?
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