Elenis (The Witch of Laverlock)

Chapter 19

"Are you alright Wulfric?" Elenis asked as they entered their room. The hound Bella had managed to find her during the course of the meal and latched onto her following them into the room and casually lying on the rug beside the hearth.
"That is a winded question isn't it" he glared at her before taking a seat to remove his boots.
"You found what you were looking for" she argued.
Shaking his head in disbelief, he stood and removed the dark vest shoving it to the chair before walking to the wash basin. He splashed water into his face hoping to clear his thoughts but the image of Sarah Montague raced into his mind.
"Did I? What madness is this?" He began as he paced back and forth "You act as if everything is normal but nothing in this place is normal!"he fisted his hands to his waist "What happened to you Elenis? When I met you, you were this young innocent girl ready to face the world. You've changed so much I don't even know who you are anymore" he spoke what was on his mind, hardly able to keep the emotion from his voice.
She went behind the screen, unlacing her gown until she was down to her shift. "Perhaps you only saw what you wanted." She replied stoically, picking a brush from the table and started to brush her hair.
"Did I? You saw her leave with him after the joust and you said nothing.Nothing!" He bellowed approaching her and snatching the brush from her hand before throwing it into the hearth. The brush hit the wall and bounced to the floor, missing the hound by a couple of inches.
He grabbed her arms in a vice like grip and looked into her eyes "You knew we went to look for her, you spent the night in my arms and yet you said nothing! Why? Were you so desperate to seduce me you wanted to distract me from my purpose?!"
"Did it work? I don't remember you staying behind despite the temptation of my innocence." She eyed him coolly.
Pulling her close to his face "I did come back for you. It took awhile but I did, only to be beaten and thrown into the woods by your father. Had your mother not taken a kindness to me and sent someone to remove me from your lands I would have been dead for sure.  He told me you were gone, ran off with someone else and brought shame to his name. I felt guilty for the longest time but I tried to search for you.  I thought if he had kicked you out you would have gone to the next town.  As soon as I was healed I went back and searched but nobody knew who you were. My uncle summoned me soon after, I had to go back to Somerset and then to the court of the king where I was waylaid for a time until I met Montague once more and he asked me to help him renew his search for Sarah. That's when I saw you" he paused taking a breath "And I thought that fate has granted me another chance but..." He released her in disgust "Not this!" Shaking his head he closed his eyes as his side throbbed once more reminding him he was till injured.
Elenis reached out and placed her hand on his side, where she knew he was hurting, closing her eyes she saw the crack to the rib. The healer had only temporarily eased the pain but the injury was deep. Summoning her energy a wave of heat passed from her hand through his chest. Wulfric felt a sudden burning sensation when suddenly he heard his bones cracking until the pain was completely gone.
He looked at he in horror.
Sadly Elenis saw the shock on his face and the slight tremor of fear that was common among people who did not understand what she had. "You asked what happened to me........this is what I have become"she said flatly, "The healer could only ease the pain, I healed it. " she paused watching his reaction to her statement, hoping there would be a glimmer of understanding but his stunned expression remained unchanged.
"Your ribs have mended Wulfric. Goodnight" she said finally turning away from him as she slid under the cover of the bed and closed her eyes.  She did not care where he decided to bed down.  She only knew she was tired both physically and emotionally. The look of disgust and horror on his face was enough to remind her that he was completely and utterly lost to her.
Sometime during the night Bella climbed on the straw bed and rested her body against Elenis feet. She welcomed the warmth of the animal as if it sensed the pain that was in her heart and offered some comfort.
...................................................................
Wulfric woke up with a start having heard something crash to the floor. Grabbing his sword he stood up abruptly and made ready for defense but upon seeing his enemy he shook his head grinning as he saw the hound Bella chew greedily on the remains of what was suppose to be his breakfast. Well at least she was able to leave some fruit on cheese on the table.
There was a slight chill in the room as the fire burned law. Walking toward the hearth, he grabbed a log and threw it into the flames. He turned to the bed seeing that it was vacated he walked to the basin and washed his face with the remaining water on the pitcher removing the fog of sleep. A timid knock signaled the servant was just outside, giving permission for entry, the woman Beaty walked into the room carrying a bucket of hot water, she poured it into the half filled tub.
"Where is the lady Elenis?" He inquired  rubbing the back of his head as he yawned. Stretching his body he felt his strength return, the pain on his side was completely gone.
"She'd be out riding with the master" the servant replied looking at the food that was being devoured by the dog. She clucked her tongue. "I shall fetch some fresh food" she curtsied and immediately left the room calling to the dog who refused to leave.
"It's alright, let the hound remain." He dismissed the servant and began to undress. Something felt odd about him, walking to the looking glass, he peered into it and saw that his nose which was broken had fully mended and his cuts were hardly visible.
"Incredible" he muttered to himself shaking his head in disbelief. He was almost fully healed, whatever Elenis had done seemed to have spread throughout his entire body.
Emerging himself into the bath, he picked up a damp wash cloth and began to rub himself seeing the grime on his body fill the tub. Resting his back against the rim of the tub he covered his face with the cloth and thought about what he had witnessed the previous evening.
So many questions raced through his mind, most of them surrounding the mystery that was Elenis.  He recalled the first moment he had laid eyes on her as she crashed into him four years ago. She was so young and innocent, a budding flower with the hint blossoming into a full rose. He had been captivated by her innocence and tender beauty, her brown eyes sparkling with curiosity. What had been a simple fascination had blossomed into something more. He knew he wanted to have her forever surprised to find his feelings had been returned.
When he had asked for her hand in Marraige, he knew in his soul he had made the right choice, but fate had dealt them a cruel hand. The separation from her had been wretched. Not a moment went by that he did not think of her sweet smile, her lofty expression, her passion. It had consumed him until he went back for her only to discover she was no longer living at Bricklow castle.
At first he could not believe her father's words. His instincts had told him there was a lie in there somewhere, but after having been cruelly tortured and left for dead, it took him awhile to heal and return only to reach a dead end. After reaching the end of his rope, providence had brought them back together.
He had instantly spotted her at the inn, there was no mistaking that voice. Four years had made her mature into a beautiful young woman, he couldn't help himself, he had to find out where she was going. Witnessing the presence of her companion made him almost believe her father's tale until he saw the man seek out another companion that eve, giving him hope that perhaps her father's tales were fabricated. He was almost triumphant in the knowledge until last night when he saw what she had become.
Being a man of The Christian faith such things that were unexplained had been in his mind the work of the devil. Sorcery of any kind had its roots in evil, that was what the priests had told him, that was what he fought against and seeing her turn to such abomination frightened him to the core. This was Elenis, his sweet innocent betroth. How could she have turned into that which he most abhorred?
His thoughts drifted to Lady Sarah Montague recoiling from what she had become. But in her case it was clearly influenced by Laverlock. Perhaps even Elenis had become a pawn in his game. Clearly the women were innocent, he thought, perhaps all this was the work of Justin Fitzhugh for he was certainly without a doubt the spawn of the devil. He had powers that were inexplicable. He was the culprit that had to be eliminated, then perhaps all would return back to normal. With that single handed purpose, Wulfric emerged from the bath quickly donning his clothes he looked out of the window, seeing the men had been rounded in the inner Bailey and were practicing combat tactics.
Taking his sword, he walked out of the room, with the hound at his heels. Amused he allowed the dog to follow him it ran down the steps pausing at the final step, Bella turned to look at Wulfric before giving a low growl at what she saw in front of her. He paused, following the dog's lead he hung back as he watched lady Sarah Montague leaving the hall. She was dressed in a surcoat of black, her hair was loose, billowing around her and her face was as pale as a ghost. Her eyes were rimmed with black coal and her lips were painted blood red. She Walked passed them and disappeared through the archway that led to the receiving hall.
"What's wrong Bella?" Wulfric bent toward the dog and ruffled her fur.
The dog wagged her tail but remained stiff as she looked at Wulfric as if waiting for him to make a move.
He needed answers regarding what happened to lady Sarah, moving passed the dog he followed her stealthily.
...........................................................
They had been riding since dawn, Justin had been excited to show Elenis his demense, upon seeing her at the inner hall he invited her to join him for a ride. In a couple of hours they had ridden through the town, taking a side route that led to a dense forest, they stopped briefly to rest. There he gave her a short history of the place.
It seemed Laverloch had been untouched by the Norman since William the conqueror came to invade the place. But when the doomsday book was ordered, a Norman soldier had found the fiefdom, it's settlers were a combination of Saxons and Druids that lived together peacefully. They were governed independently by a Saxon Baron whose only heir was a daughter. They had been serving the earls of Warwick until the Norman had spotted it. He was immediately given the lands to hold and enfifed its inhabitants, having taken the daughter of the Baron as a wife, it fell under Norman rule.
Since it was a land having no strategic significance, the king left it alone. No abbey's were built in the area except for a small chapel behind the castle. It had begun as a motte and Bailey castle until the successors began adding stone structures that started to fortify the main keep. The outskirt villages and townships however remained the same until Justin took over and began trading.
The land was depended on its agriculture and textile industry. Cloth was woven in the villages. Each small cottage had a loom where they wove fabric and brought to town.
"Tis no wonder your town is thriving" she marveled. "Tell me My lord is this place ensorcelled?"she asked
He paused looking at her for a long moment "Is that why you have come here? To find a place that would explain your peculiarities?" He teased. There was no sarcasm in his tone only amusement.
"How would you explain Lady Sarah?" She began watching him but he was non challant."Did this place turn her into a crow?"
His laughter was rich "Are you expecting this place will turn you into something too?" He asked when he had sobered.
"Will it?"she countered narrowing her gaze on Justin Fitzhugh.
"What I said about lady lady Sarah Montague was not fabricated. If your looking for the devil, perhaps you should consider searching for her brother. Her shape shifting is largely due to the energy that surrounds her aura. She wanted to fly freely and she found the vessel to do so."
"Did you turn her into that vessel?" Elenis asked point blank, feeling the rise of irritation on her body. He seemed to be evasive which started to make her hackles rise. The leaves from the trees started to shake slightly as a slight breeze danced around them.
Justin noticed the sudden shift in the air as the temperature started to rise looking up at the sky he found a few leaves had dislodged from the branches and started falling.
"No I did not turn her into that vessel, she grew into it on her own. And no Elenis, she is not my lover" he replied abruptly, having read the thread of her thoughts."There was never any point in that. She wanted to be liberated from the cruelty that surrounded her life, I could not allow such abuse to go on, that is why I invited her to live with me for a time." He stood from the rock he sat on and dusted himself. "Come I need to show you something" he told her.
They both mounted their horses and trotted slowly.