The Blood Moon rose, its chinks glittering through the dank darkness of the cave.
With its glow the transformation began. Paws into curled human fists. Canines into human teeth. Snout into a nose. The White wolf's fur sloughed off the human body like a pelt and a man arose. Hair of white starlight. Eyes of the ice sea with swirling cores of obsidian. Skin of the whitest snow, and lips of blood.
As gracefully as rolling water and wind, he moved to the water hole. Scarred fingers dipped into its cooling liquid and splashed upon his face.
Hate dripped in Rain's voice.
He knew the words well.
"Kill the girl and let us be done with it."
A language he had known from the ancient banished lands since he was a child. The banished land of the North. A face stared into the glassy waters. A face he longed to see forever.
"Hvers aletti sinä ?" Why should you?
The White Wolf tore his gaze from the waters. Dariel arose from the pelt of the wolf. A man of pale snow-white skin and long golden hair pulled back halfway accenting blue eyes.
Rain gripped the blade of his sword he had freed from its sheath. He mirrored his brother's image with dark hazel hair and ice-blue eyes. The sword he gripped was one of beauty—its hilt of silver lined with gold, and a legendary blade.
"Har ooon går de viol maar keiss, Mer lin." She is the death of you, my King.
The Maiden remained asleep on the earth. Her cheek pressed against the ground of blood and bones. Surely death would be merciful to her. She is ugly-hideously ugly.
"Oon-gan keiss mayer hees, keiss mayer minä!" If you kill her, you kill me! Dariel stood in front of the sleeping Maiden.
Rain charged.
His body slammed into Darien's chest, but Dariel countered it. His heels clawed the earth and he shoved Rain back, flinging him across the cave floor. The pack caved around the two men.
Rain smacked into the earth twisted around, and snarled a deep warning in his throat. Dariel remained planted in front of the Maiden. A foolish mistake thought the White Wolf. Rain can cut him to pieces.
Dariel dodged a swipe at his face by Rain's blade.
The fool! The White Wolf thought, smiling at Dariel's mistake.
The blow feinted and Rain smiled flipped his sword around, and brought the sword down, to sever Dariel in half for his foolishness.
Dariel drew his own blade and the steel echoed through the cave. "En mun vil mayer, Kora. Va En mun kuolla oon-gan En täytyy rauhoittaa hees." I will not kill you, Brother. But I will die if I must protect her.
"Mayer hees—áður un oon går liian myöhään!" Kill her—before it is too late!
"Naya!" No!
"Den síðan svo hees!" Then die with her!
"Iittää jo!" Enough!
The White Wolf's voice cut like a blade between the two men.
"Killing her-" The White Wolf tasted the words on his lips. "To kill the Maiden would end my promises to her."
Dariel turned to him. "A King does not break his promises!" he spat at him. "You see the girl is—"
"Enough, Dariel."
The words silenced Dariel as the White Wolf stepped over the Maiden and knelt.
She is human. All humans kill the wolves. And the wolves kill the men. Nothing worse, nothing better than the girl deserved. Promises were of glass: Made to be broken.
His breath wafted over the Maiden's face. She did not awaken. Sleep cradled her like a baby. His face brushed against her neck—
The Blood Moon disappeared behind the clouds, sinking again.
The time was ripe to kill the Maiden.
All his fours touched the earth again- and he returned to the form of a wolf, his elongated canines touching the entrance of the Maiden's throat.
"Kill her," Rain's throaty snarl emerged from a maw of white teeth. The pack fell onto all fours and returned to the forms of Ice Wolves.
His teeth clamped onto her neck. Still, she did not awaken. Perhaps the Curse was merciful to her- Ha! So unlike many of the Men he had slaughtered.
His thumping heart filled his chest. One bite and the Maiden was dead.
Words screamed in his head. Screaming. Screaming at him.
He hissed, wincing at the piercing screams in his mind.
Stay your hand!
"Mother?"
Spots of blood stained his teeth.
No blood! Do not kill her!
Withdrawing his canines, he screamed in agony.
The voice. The words.
Stay your hand! Do not touch the Maiden.
Words hammered his ears. Roars of his pack. Screams from Dariel and Rain. Rain, snarling. Dariel hysterical.
"Kill her. Kill her now!"
"Do not touch her, my King!"
His mother's words echoed in his ears.
Heed my words, my son.
"Mother," he rasped.
Her fingers laced under his jaw, lifting his face to hers. Fingers of snow. Her raven hair brushed his golden hair. Her white skin pressed to his heart. Never lay your hate upon the Maiden. Her death will be yours. You will die with her death, and your soul will become the dust of the earth. For from the dust you came to the dust you will return.
"What do I do, Mother?" he begged.
Be kind to her. Hold her heart next to your own. Guard her heart with your life and in return, she will give you hers.
A final kiss pressed to his heart. Farewell, my son and heed my words.
Her form disappeared from his eyes and the White Wolf sagged. His heart was bound to the Maiden.
"Enough," he panted. The baying ceased in his ears. "She is not to be killed. No man is to lay his hate on her. If she dies, she will be the death of me."
"Then what is she?" demanded Rain.
"She is the Maiden."
YOU ARE READING
The Cursed Prince - Fire and Ice (Book One)
Fantasy"What she remembers can never be spoken... " A young prince is raised by a king. His adopted sister hides the dark secrets of her mind within her heart-one that is locked away-filled of secrets. But all secrets and promises made are shattered when t...
