Quest of Fate

The End

 "Bellator, it's getting dark. We should head back to the castle. We won't find it today."

All I got was a snort in return.

"Fine, be that way. But don't complain to me when you can't feel your hooves."

I could not help the shudder that ran down my spine. The cold day was dark and dreary, with the first snowflakes of Winter carpeting the ground and getting caught in my long auburn hair. Continuing to ride on with Bellator, my best friend, my companion, and my horse, we followed the huge tracks in the growing drifts of snow. Shivering again, I pulled the thin furs closer as I hunkered down closer to him, basking in his radiating body heat, watching our breath fog in the darkening sky.

Seeing the tracks start to disappear in the snow, I slid off and crouched before them. Studying them, I could tell they were fresh and I could guess just how big this animal was. Another shiver ran down my back and this time, I knew it was not from the cold. Feeling my heart pound, I quickly climbed back a top Bellator and kept following the tracks, hoping that it was a huge rabbit, but deep in my mind, I knew it wasn't. 

  ***************************

The townspeople of Cortsinova had started spreading stories of a huge beast stealing livestock in the dead of night, and all that was left was a huge paw print, causing imagination and terror to run rampant through the streets. Soon, the tales led to the Queen, who then came to my father, known for his great hunting skill throughout the Kingdom. We had heard the trumpeting fanfare and she had burst through our little cottage door, filling it with her presence, causing my father and I standing in our small kitchen,just about to sit to enjoy our breakfast of oatmeal, to stare slack jaw at the Queen Catharine, who stood there with an angelic smile on her face, promising great wealth if we took down the mighty beast. Soon, our homey cottage was left in the dust as we were transported to the castle to be the Queen's own personal huntsman. But life in the castle was not as it seemed. That angelic smile was only for the public, for the Queen was truly the devil.

She was a cruel, merciless tyrant, but kept it inside the castle walls. I have seen her lie, cheat, and thieve the people of their homeland all with that angelic mask on her face, and most of the population went oblivious to this happening, for outside, she acted like a savior in disguise.

"My people," she would start. "We have found our savior. The one who will rid us of this beast that terrorizes us in our time of need."

The people were getting poorer, yet she was getting richer.

"I feel your pain, my lovely town. But we will fight through this desperation, to the bright future ahead."

She had glanced around, meeting several eyes in the crowd, and I could see the mask slipping, showing her true intent.

"Many of us though, will perish. The weak will die, and the strong will fight."

Murmurs ran through the crowd. What did she mean, the weak? Many of the townspeople knew hardship, and we were a fighting people.

Then the deaths started.

"It is for the best of the people."

I've heard that lie slither out of her mouth to countless victims, as she would force them to work such painstaking jobs, that barely anyone survived.

Try as I might though, I could not talk my father into going back to our sweet cottage in the woods.

Months had passed, and my hatred of the Queen grew as I watched her ruin life after life again and again, all with that damnable smile on her face. Within those same months, I saw her take advantage of my father, filling him up with terrible lies of love and romance as she all but stomped him into the ground. Soon, my father was a thin, pathetic man, but I still loved him, for I knew the man that he was was still in there. I understood that he missed my deceased mother greatly, but the Queen's love was poison. One night, I awoke to the sounds of a terrible hacking cough. Sitting up, I turned in my bed to see through the connecting doorway my father haunched on the floor, his hands to his mouth as great convulsions racked his body. When he lifted his hands away, they shined in the the thin moonlight, and I could tell what coated his palms. My father was dying, and there was nothing to do. My father, being the man he was, still tirelessly went out, looking for the beast, but would come back each evening, hacking and empty handed. Soon, he became too weak to walk out the doors to our quarters, and I knew the task had fallen to me, for my father had taught me everything he  knew.

 *********************

Night had fallen, and the full moon was out with the chill of the wind, giving the woods an eerie feel as the wind caused the branches to sway, making the shadows stretch and reach hauntingly towards us. Leaning closer to the epic size of my warhorse, I felt him shake as a newborn foal and knew that I was not the only one frightened.

"Shhh, its okay Bellator, nothing out there could take you out. You are my big toughie, my courageous stallion."

I giggled when Bellator shook his head, snorting and tossing his head. Just as quick as a blink, the forest went still, and a spine tingling sensation settled in the air, causing Bellator and I to freeze where we were. My heart pounding away in my chest, I slid off of Bellator and reached for my bow behind me. Crouching, I felt the adrenaline pulse through my veins. I could then feel more than hear what caused the sudden silence. Twisting about, what I saw appear through the bushes caused my mouth to go dry and my heart stop. Stepping through the bushes was a huge black wolf, with eyes of pale blue and a mouth pulled back in a snarl, teeth glinting wetly in the full moonlight. Bellator reared and screamed, for this wolf rivaled him in size. Barely able to catch my breath, I notched an arrow quickly and pulled back, aiming for it's heart, for this was the legendary beast. The wolf stalked closer, its eyes piercing, causing terror to reign over me, making my hands shake. With a flying leap, Bellator jumped in front of me, kicking fiercely, his eyes blazing with rage as he swung his mighty hooves at the wolf's head, missing by mere hairs. The wolf now faced the new threat, snarling and biting the air. Using the distraction, I tried to line up my shot.Looking up, I had locked eyes with the wolf, causing us both to halt at what we were doing. Staring in the wolf's eyes, I felt a familiar tug at my heart, as if I knew the wolf. Surprised by the feeling, what caused my heart to beat thickly was the intense longing that filled me to the core causing every bone in my body to feel as heavy.  As I watched the wolf, I saw almost humanlike emotions flitting across its' muzzle, filling me with confusion. Bellator, however, kept fighting against the wolf, kicking and pawing the air in front of its' face. The wolf, however, dodged every attack, but made no move towards us, staying in the same place as if rooted there. Bellator fought valiantly, forcing the wolf to move back against the brush. Watching, I felt a heavy sense of dread fill my gut as Bellator pinned the wolf against a tree, snorting and screaming, his heavy hooves swinging like lead clubs. That's when I saw one emotion cross the wolf's eyes. Fear.

"Bellator! Stop! Don't hurt it!"

Running forward, I placed myself in front of the wolf, not caring as I faced Bellator, feeling anger and fear roiling in my gut. Bellator would not stop, for he was bred to protect his rider from any harm. Feeling the emotions surpass their limit, I felt something almost like pain course through my body, from my core to the tips of my fingers and toes to the top of my head. The feelings though that were left had me breathless. 

"Bellator."

My voice boomed with authority, filling the area, causing the air to ring.

Bellator all but cowered, ducking his head, his ears flat against his head. Then, the feeling left, causing me to sag. Falling to the ground, darkness started to cloud my vision. Before everything went dark, I saw the face of an angel staring down at me, his violet eyes clouded with fear, and yet, joy.