The Beloved Beast

Part 19-The Castle

"Marina! She is coming this way!" Sabine almost rushed into the chamber where Marina was pouring into a book, preparing for the annual meet of the various covens. It was an event held at a nearby mountaintop, a whole week of nightly gatherings, discussions, revelry, and feasting. Witches and warlocks from the world over participated in the week-long festivities. "What happened? Why are you all breathless?" Marina looked up from the book to see Sabine struggling for breath. "She is on her way to the castle. Beta Ray is with her." "Oh! Something must be really wrong for her to be approaching us. I never trusted Remus' great-grandson." "What do we do?" Sabine queried. "Call Duffy and Bogart," she instructed. 

The two familiars came running. "Go to that girl in the forest. Lead her here. See that you do not scare her or provoke the werewolf with her," Marina ordered her familiars. Once they had gone away, taking the shape of two doves, Sabine sat down by Marina's side. "Why do you think she is coming here?" she asked, a frown on her forehead. Tanya looked at the sky. Dark clouds were looming overhead. It was evening and in a few hours total darkness would prevail in the forest. The clouds were making the matters worse. As they took a few more steps, the rain started falling on the forest floor. She looked at Ray, who was again walking beside her in his wolf form. He put his nose up in the air, sniffing, and then with a howl, he led her away from the path, towards a rocky ledge.

 They took shelter from the rain under the overhanging ledge. Tanya sat staring at the darkness, wishing Ray could sit with her in his human form, to comfort her, but he chose to stay as a wolf for their safety. Slowly, she felt her eyes closing, listening to the steady stream of rain drumming on the rock. Sometime during the night, she awoke to the call of some animal, to see Rayfighting off a bear. Her heart thudded, she watched and prayed. Wolves are usually four times smaller than bears, but Ray was no ordinary wolf. He was double the natural size, and by what Tanya could make out, it was a young bear. Hence, even though the odds favor the bear, in any fight with a wolf, Tanya watched Ray drive it away after putting up a tough fight. He came, limping, to sit by her side again. Tanya felt a pang of guilt. Ray had done more for her than anyone had ever done. He was a true friend, never complaining, always ready to help. She inched closer to him, stroking his velvet-like fur, and when he gave a low growl of happiness, burying her face in his neck. The rest of the night, she was too tense to sleep, afraid of some other, bigger, animal attacking them.

By morning, the rain had gone to leave a watery sunlight and a cold breeze. They sometimes had snow at the heights, but thankfully it was not the season for it. They left the ledge and took up the trail once more. Tanya pulled the jacket closer around her, rubbing her numb hands. They had taken a few dozen steps on the path when she spied two white doves hovering overhead. Her spirits lifted to see them, and as if on cue, one of them landed on her shoulder. She found Ray sniffing them out, letting out a growl, but the next instant quieting down when they danced in front of his face. The doves led them on the trail, flying ahead and then waiting on some bush or the other for them to catch up. 

When the path forked at a place, and Ray seemed a bit uncertain, the doves flew on one, seeming to invite them to follow. Ray chose to follow them, and Tanya walked behind, letting the spirits of the forest guide them. Soon, they were faced with a tall crag, its steep sides uninviting. To come so far and to face this! Tanya knew that she would never turn back from here. Whatever the cost to her, she would try to climb that crag. She waited to see what the doves would do, and she wasn't disappointed. 

They led them through a hidden path, a side of the crag, not visible from there, but which was neither so steep nor uninviting. Short grass grew on this side and at intervals, they waited for them to sit and rest. A small spring flowed through the mountain, and she washed her face in its crystal clear flow, the cold water instantly bringing her to alertness. Ray too, lapped up the water with his tongue, then rested on the grassy slope. Tanya was grateful for her companions. She knew, by herself, she could never have completed the journey. They started again, and after a short time, the tall towers of the castle came into view. It resembled a Gothic castle with huge stained glass windows, grand arches, and ornately decorated roofs. The tall iron gates were manned by two enormous bloodhounds, who looked scary enough to intimidate anyone trying to get inside. As they neared the gates, Ray decided to shift back into his human form, just so that no one would take his wolf as a challenge. He went behind the bushes to emerge a few minutes later fully clothed. The two of them approached the gates in apprehension, as the doves flew inside. The dogs growled as they got a whiff of Ray's scent, and Tanya's heart thudded in her chest. She did not wish to witness another fight. 

Thankfully, at that instant a middle-aged woman came out from the castle, followed by two dwarfs. She had long gray hair and fine features and her attire was a flowing gown with long sleeves. To Tanya she seemed right out of some medieval book."Welcome to Castle Magus," she smiled, opening the gates. With some trepidation, Tanya set her foot inside, wary of the bloodhounds. "I am Sabine," she introduced herself. "Honored to meet you, Sabine. I am Ray, the Beta of the Northern Mountain Pack and this is Tanya, our Luna. Thank you for the help you extended to us in this journey by sending your familiars," Ray bowed over the woman's hand. The dwarfs behind her broke into smiles, "I am Duffy and this is Bogart," one of them said, pointing."Come, you have had a long journey and must be tired. It is time to take some rest," Sabine ushered them inside.

Tanya stared wide-eyed at the high carved ceiling, embellished with murals. Colored light fell on the floors from the stained glass windows, making it really an enchanted place. They walked through narrow corridors before coming to a stop in front of two adjoining doors. Sabine opened one of them, glancing at Tanya, "Come, Luna, you can rest here for as long as you like." It was a wonderfully airy room with white walls and an old-fashioned four-poster bed in the center. Tapestries hung on the walls, and an armoire stood at one side. A couple of high-backed chairs stood on the other side with a rug thrown in front of them. Tanya loved the room on sight. "Thank you, Sabine. It's a beautiful room," Tanya smiled at the woman gratefully. Half an hour later, Tanya stood before a mirror, disentangling her hair. She had taken a shower in the bathroom, which thankfully had modern plumbing.

 Dressed in fresh clothes, which she had in her backpack, she brushed her hair, marveling at the fact that she had really made it to the witches' castle. This just went to show that a little determination could achieve a lot. She refused to dwell on Neil'sbetrayal at the moment. She had the rest of her life to do that. Tanya lay down on her bed and closed her eyes, trying to court sleep but sleep eluded her. Though her body ached with exhaustion, her mind went again and again to the events of the last few days. What she had considered to be the good times with Neil, had been just an illusion. He had never loved her. Had even wished to sacrifice her life to be free of the curse. How would she ever come to terms with this devastating fact? 

A knock on her door made her groan. With great effort, she rose to open the door to find a pretty girl standing there with a tray. "Hi, I am Emma. I brought your lunch," she said with a winsome smile."Thank you, Emma. You can place it here," Tanya pointed to the antique table kept near the chairs. "Are you really Alpha Neil's wife?" she asked disbelief in her voice. Tanya nodded, not getting the point."He is hated over here. All werewolves are hated. You don't appear to be one." "I am not. I am an ordinary human," Tanya smiled. "That was the only reason Beta Ray was allowed inside. Otherwise, he would have been finished off long before he reached the castle," Emma said in a matter-of-fact way, sending chills down Tanya's spine. It was clear that there was no love lost between the two communities. Leave alone cooperating, they could not even stand each other. What had Remus done to cause so much bad blood between them? Emma saw herself out, and Tanya approached the tray. She was hungry and was pleasantly surprised to find a hearty meal of stew and bread. The witches obviously ate well. She wondered what Ray was doing. Getting up, she opened a door to find a balcony extending out from the room. It overlooked a sheer drop. The adjoining room had a similar one, and she could see Ray leaning with his back to the rails, a wide grin on his face, as he talked to Emma, pretty in her red dress, with her golden hair tied up in a bun at the top of her head. What was brewing here?