Violet Riding Hood

Chapter 13

Catherine was sure that her death was coming any moment, she was frozen waiting for the imminent stab and she even closed her eyes, but then a mellow and familiar voice spoke suddenly behind her:

"I would ask you for money, but I know you don't have any..."

Catherine turned around with great relief, and she hugged Harry Goldenlock incredibly happy that she had not been caught by one of Sallyahel's soldiers. Harry seemed quiet and calm, and he looked as stunning as ever wearing one of his most expensive black leather cloaks.

"Harry!"

"I never thought you would ever be so happy to see me, Hawthorn!"

The armed guards could return any moment, so Catherine and Harry dashed as silently as possible and concealed themselves behind a pair of snowy trees nearby. Harry seemed to be curious about what style of strategy would Catherine have in mind, and he guessed it effectively by observing just how anxious the young Woodcutter was.

"I knew you would come, Harry!"

"And I knew you would be up here, trying something stupid" Harry replied in a low voice- "Hawthorn, forget about it! Sallyahel has positioned a whole load of them patrolling every corridor down there, they are everywhere and very well armed- Believe me, I have my informants..."

"We have to try at least!" Catherine said- "We have to..."

The guards returned at that moment looking disappointed, but they carried several dead rabbits even though they had failed to capture the big deer for dinner. Catherine and Harry observed in total silence as the soldiers returned to their positions, and a minute later the entrance to the dungeons was once again completely protected.

"We lost our chance..."

"Our chance of getting captured and killed? Sure we did!" Harry replied- "Look, Hawthorn... I know everyone thinks that I want Vallery just as a trophy wife, but the truth is that... I do have feelings for her- I am so jealous that she likes you more than me, but now that she is arrested we have to team up!"

"What do you have in mind, Harry?" Catherine asked.

The soldiers grabbed a game board from somewhere, and two of them started to play Draughts while the other proceeded to cut up the rabbits with great care. They looked quite entertained, unaware of the fact that two of the most dangerous people of Swordhorn were observing them and plotting how to rescue the woman of the violet cloak...

Then, Catherine looked towards their left and discovered, not very surprised, that a man of intensely violet eyes was staring at them partially concealed by his own snowy tree.

"Carrow" Catherine whispered- "Harry, Carrow wants to help us..."

Carrow blinked an eye and made a gesture inviting them to follow him, and after that, the three of them abandoned the spying mission and disappeared into the wild and wintry forest.

38-

The Purple Moon was raising beyond the snowy mountains in the distance, another dark wintry night was drawing closer and once again the people of Swordhorn answered the call as the church bells began to ring, coming out of their houses and shops afraid of what would have happened this time.

Everyone feared that the Wolf had killed another family or two somewhere in the village, since the funerals continued day and night and it seemed that the nightmare would never come to an end...

"What is happening?" Julie asked, pushing people aside as she tried to advance- "Jane, what is it?"

Jane and her mother were standing at the edge of a snowy street between many people, everyone wearing black ribbons tied to their arms and their hair. The whispers and rumors were flying everywhere, but Julie had just made it back to the village and she had no idea why the bells were ringing this time...