Cursed and Fated

Chapter four

"Why can't I have my own room?" I sag my shoulders making my limp arm heavy in his grasp.

He pauses, stares heavily at me. I stare back for two seconds, then dart my eyes around as i rock back and forth on my heels. Pushing out a breath, "Ok what? Do I have something on my face?" i jokingly answer as he continues his stare. 

Ok pumpkin head is bugging me. I can't read his emotions, considering he's a glowing lantern. 

Great, Dakota, just great. You're talking to yourself while indulging in this monsters romantic fantasy.

On the contrary, i think it's to save my butt. I'll just run away after a few hours. Just gotta be alone. 

My thoughts run rampant as i ask, again, "Why i can't i have my own room?" 

"Because--" i immediately cut him off with a huge, and unnecessary groan. 

"Come ooooonnnn. Give me my own room. i don't care what you say or do, i'll complain until your eternal life is worn out. I. Want. My. Own. Room. No way this place doesn't have at least an extra room." i begin to whine like a child. Maybe i should be more scared, but he is acting all gentle and in love, if he gets means i'll slap the candle out of his head and make a run for a window or something. 

Come on girl, focus. 

"Fine. But it will be the one across from mine. I want to be close to you." He whispers the last part, knowing full well i can hear him. The creature has his body practically pressed to mine. 

I clear my throat, "Yeah, ok." i sigh heavy and await his move. He continues still as a statue. One would think he is one, the only movement is the flicker of the fire in his head. At this moment, a question pops into my head, if i had a candle of my own it would surely be blazing with my thoughts at this moment. 

"Why do you and raggedy Anne keep saying i'm made of fire, or like fierce  or whatever?" I feel my fave warm with his proximity, not from blushing, but his own flame. I grow agitated at his closeness and take this chance to wriggle my arm free and take a step back. 

He makes a move to grab me again and i take another step back "Keep those leathers away from me dude, if i'm your love or whatever, i demand answers and i won't be letting you grab the goods without them." my voice wavers as the gravity of this situation starts to weigh on me. I've seriously been kidnapped and there's no person in sight, or even near this area of land. I don't even know where i am, stupid fell asleep. 

"Do you not know your own story?" he asks in a calm tone, but i don't miss the hesitation in his voice. What the hell is going on?

"Hey buddy, clearly i know who i am, and how i came to be, ok? Answer my question, don't question me back." My teeth are gritted as i basically growl back at him. 

For the first time, in the whole godforsaken night he's had me, he takes a step back at my tone. i feel my hands tremble softly as my chest clenches with the situation. I create tight fists as to cease my own trembling, but this causes my arms to shake and my breathing to become heavy. 

He sighs heavy, the light in his pumpkin head becomes a soft orange. "Ok, maybe you should get some sleep first. Proper sleep in the bed." He answers cautiously. I feel tears well, that's when I lose it. Dakota Hastings doesn't cry. 

"No. Answers. Now." My chest swells slightly with pride in hearing the strength in my own tone. i do not cry or whisper meekly to my abductors. 

He drags a gloved hand over his carved features, then pauses as if remembering his own head. That, in itself, makes my trembling and heavy breathing lessen, once again causing my mind to roam. My Grandma said my mind would be the death of me one day, maybe she was right.

"Well if you know your own story, then this shouldn't be surprising to you." He tests the words, as if i'll burst to dust if he spoke any faster. 

Wait. "Then tell me don't just stand there like a Halloween decoration. Speak vegetable man." I lose patience. my emotions keep fluctuating from angry, to scared, to- well angry and scared. 

He sighs, again, as if he's been put into a situation he doesn't want. Last i checked, i was the one kidnapped. "Once upon a time-"

"Oh are you fucking kidding me." i grumble and roll my head and eyes. 

His head sharply darts at me. I roll my eyes again, stepping from leg to leg. the soreness making it's announcement as the adrenaline from my fit rips itself from my body. He notices and begins back in direction we came from. I blindly follow getting ready to give him a piece of my mind, maybe then he'll be able to think. 

He sits in the living space he had set me in before, then pats the seat next to himself. i sit on the chair closest to the hall, i assume is near the front door. 

His shoulders slump slightly as he leans forward and puts his elbows on his knees and wrings his hands. "So, anyways, i'll just get to the point and we'll get to details over time princess."

"Stop calling me that" he can see the steam rolling off my head as i seethe in anger. 

He makes a sound of clearing his throat, ha, funny thought "Your, uh caregiver? who were they?" I eye him with caution.

"My grandma" I allow a calm tone. 

"Right, so your grandma" he says the word slowly, as if it's foreign to him, "She obviously hid this from you, real fast what was her name?" he breathes out the last part really fast gaining an almost intrigued tone. 

"i'm supposed to be getting answers not you.....Olivia Capore." I shift slightly as i see those carvings take on a resting face, not the normal jack'o lantern. 

"Ah, correct. Ok perfect, kind of," he sits up and puts his fist in his open hand before turning to me again "So simply put, she was something of a witch, but she didn't eat people like the rest did. She gained her powers from the earth. A white witch if you will. I met her 50 years into my curse. She said was given a task from the gods themselves. Now, at this time i was still young and angry at every witch, even the kind that feed from the earth. I was cursed by one." He seems taken back to his memories. I stare, enraptured by the story. 

"Go on." It comes out almost a whisper. He shakes his head softly. 

"Well, i tried attacking her, knowing i can't die if i'm cursed anyways. She never even tried to dodge me, only stared softly at me. With pity. But, as i blindly went on to harm her, a large deer jumped in my swords path. i slayed the creature, blood spewing all over the greenery. Then just as fast as it happened, the creature was gone. she repeated herself, but i stayed angry. I slashed and mangled that spirit, still it prevailed to protect this witch. I remember tossing my sword to my side and punching a hole in a tree til my knuckles were only bone and shredded flesh." He opened and closed his hands, looking down at them. How were they even here? Maybe they have intense scars, answers the gloves. 

"She stood there through every moment. Observing my every move. I slumped to the ground and screamed at the world, at her," his face looked up, the flame inside meeting my eyes "at myself." i took in an inaudible, sharp breath as i heard his deep tone and words. 

"Your 'Grandma' was that white witch. The one that saved me from oblivion." That deep tone made my breath hitch again, as if his words were tapping a part of my brain that lay dormant. Flashes of flames ripped my thoughts from his story, making me stare into what i imagine was this said oblivion. 

Who am i?