The Arcana: Fragments

XIII: She Bites!

Muriel x Reader

I was in the middle of locking up the shop for my journey out into the city when I glanced off to the side at the feeling of being watched. There, hiding in the shadows was a large shadow of a figure watching me with intense green eyes. Startled as I was, I was not afraid. Finishing the fastenings to the locks of the shop's door I sigh a deep breath and face the figure. "Might I help you with something?", I called out.

The figure did not respond, only shifted uncomfortably on its feet. As it did so the soft chink of chains rattled from beneath what appeared to be the cloak of his figure. "Are you lost?", I took a step towards them, they leaped back into the stone wall of another building. "I'm not going to hurt you", I eased, "But if you are lost or need something I'd like to help".

"I'm where I need to be", a thick, deep voice finally responded.

"I see, well then", I took a few steps closer, "Would you mind moving out of the way then? I have errands to attend to".

After a few moments, the figure still did not move. Instead, they lifted the hood to their cloak, exposing their features. His hair was as black as ink, a bit matted and greasy but smelled exactly like fresh rain. His jaw was thick and broad, along with his nose and cheekbones. His brows were knit together tightly as we gazed upon one another, he looked as though he was restraining himself from something. As I looked deep into the mossy green pits of his eyes I began to feel waves of recognition fall over me; I knew him, perhaps passing by in the markets or on the docks, I was unsure.

"Have we met?", I inquired. He could not answer, though his brows briefly lifted in surprise at my comment. Sighing at his lack of verbiage, I shrugged and attempted to move away from him and into the Main Street. I was stopped by a large, calloused hand pressing against my shoulder. "Do not trust him", he said, the deepest rumble of baritone I've ever heard in a human's voice ringing into my ears. "I don't understand", I replied. He grimaced as though in pain, then reached into his cloak, "Take this, it will help you".

Handing me a small velvet pouch I opened it, the smell of myrrh instantly invaded my senses. My eyes shut upon the scent, when I opened them, the man was gone.

Time Skip

It has been a few days since my encounter with the strange man, his gift of myrrh has remained with me in the pocket of my cloak. Oddly enough, it made me feel safe. Travelling alongside the river I travelled into the woods in search of herbs and plant life to be used in potions and spells back in the shop. I must have lost track of time, though, as well as my way back because by the time I glanced up at the sky from the canopy of trees the stars glittered in the night sky and the river was all but far from view anymore.

Asra would be expecting me home by now, it was far past when I had told him I'd return. He would be looking for me by now, no doubt. From the underbrush, soft footsteps emanated from the bushes. I spun around, fear beginning to set in. Golden, piercing eyes watched me curiously from the foliage. A wolf, I concluded. The low growl coming from the set of eyes before me began increasing in volume, I failed at any attempt to ease the animals apprehension towards me and - foolish as I was - soon found myself bolting in the opposite direction.

My head start was short lived as the wolf quickly caught up to me, where I clumsily threw myself over the fallen tree trunks in my path, the creature leapt gracefully over them, hardly making a sound. Seeing the opportunity, the wolf advanced forward one final time and caught my cloak between the daggers of its mouth, yanking me to a halt as the fabric latched onto my throat and hurled me back. "Innana!", a deep voice enabled the wolf to release me immediately. I understandably took the opportunity to run off again, and as I was once more hurling my body over what I was desperately hoping was the final fallen trunk of tree in my path to home, I landed headfirst into strong, muscled arms.

At first I screamed, causing my captor to let go of my frame like hot coals. I landed into the mossy earth with a thud. Coming into view from above me, a familiar pair of golden eyes looked down at me from the tree trunk overhead, teeth bared and drooling. "Shit", I whispered to myself.

"That's enough!", the deep voice hissed, and the wolf was lifted out of my view by the same strong arms from before with an annoyed yelp.

Jumping to my feet with what remaining energy I had I grabbed an adjacent stone and held it above my head, poised to be thrown. "Keep away!", I warned, though without much vigor and intensity as my throat had already gone dry from all my running. The wolf, still trapped in the strong arms from before, wriggled in its grasp and snapped forward to nip at me. A string of low, grumbled curses followed, catching me off guard. "She bites", the voice addressed, peering out from the animal's frame to reveal themselves.

"It's you", I sighed, dropping the stone immediately. "Muriel", I said aloud to myself, remembering that Asra had identified him after I had shown him the gift of myrrh I was given from the stranger days prior. Letting the animal down, Muriel stared at me dumbfounded, "You...remember me?"

I smiled softly and nodded, "This must be Innana then, I didn't know she was a wolf...Asra left that part out", the wolf's ears pricked up at the sound of her name. Outstretching my palm for her to sniff, I whispered her an apology for startling her, she nuzzled her wet nose into my hand in forgiveness. Muriel still didn't seem to understand, so I reached into the pocket of my now shredded cloak and tossed him the sachet of myrrh. He grumbled something under his breath again and tossed it back, "You're supposed to keep it, not return it".

"I was only showing you that I remembered", I giggled, causing him to blush. The two of us stood there a moment, unsure what to do next. As if conjured, a gust of wind wound its way through the forest, circling around us and causing my bones to shrink at its piercing chill. Hugging the sides of my cloak to my body I was disappointed to find the entire lower half of its design missing, what remained waved its torn, jagged tendrils of fabric as the air ran through it. My teeth chattered uncontrollably.

I was caught off guard by a massive layer of wool being wrapped around me, Muriel gently took me by the shoulders and faced me towards him. His fingers wrapped around the fastenings at my neck and raised his eyebrows at me expectantly. I nodded my head in approval and he slowly secured his cloak to me, blushing bright red as his fingers accidentally brushed against my skin as he did so.

"What about you?", I argued, taking in his exposed upper chest that seemed to steam from the amount of body heat he generated. He shook his head and grumbled no as if it were a dismissal of my plight, I huffed. My eyes continued to roam his torso, catching sight of the many scars that were to be seen. Unintentionally, I reached my hand up and placed my palm on one of the larger ones, Muriel seemed to instantly stop breathing when I did. His skin was soft under my fingertips and roughened where the scars began, it pained me to know he went through all of these horrible things, likely multiple times too.

"This won't happen again", I promised, dropping my palm from his chest. He raised his eyebrow at me in confusion. "It may not be much, but so long as I'm around, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you again. I'd like to promise you that". Muriel let out a soft chuckle, something I didn't expect to happen, much less sound so gorgeous. "Promise received", he sheepishly brought the hood to his cloak over my head, " Well? Take me home, protector", he said. Both grinning, we interlaced out arms and set out into the woods.

Unbeknownst to them both, Innana kept torn the piece from y/n's cloak safely within her teeth, fully intent on bringing it to Muriel to have him repair it.

[06.30.2019]