March 16 1831
Fields of Gascony, Matrevo Wine Cellar.
Personal journey of Leon wagner
forth entry.
My head pounded and throbbed as I awoke chained and gagged in the darkest corner of the cellar. My gear and weapons placed just out of reach on a wine shelf. Kneeling in front of me was mr Matrevo. His hand clutched tightly to an axe. Sharpening on a grindstone for use once again.
So. You're awake then? He said kneeling down to be eye level with me, while dragging his axe slowly across the floor raising it to tilt the bottom of my bloodied jaw upward. "Couldn't just leave it well enough alone, could you Huntsman? He removed the gag from off my mouth and i began to scream at the top of my lungs, hoping Celine would hear me from down here.
I'm afraid she can't here you huntsman. She is fast asleep. Courtesy of her nightly medication. Had to slip it into her dinner much sooner than expected this time but at least she won't know what's going on down here. Shouldn't take long though. We have at least an hour till sunset and I have to restrain her. Ten minutes for fun. Ten minutes for cutting you up. Twenty to dispose of your remains with twenty to spare. More than enough time. He smiled. I supose I can at least thank you for one thing huntsman. Youve saved me the tedious task of having to cut up another deer to keep her quiet and happy. She'll eat well tonight. Now all you need is a little tenderizing.
His fist came down across my cheek knocking out a tooth and leaving me half dazed on the floor. I coughed and spat blood as he stood and walked over to the corner of the table to wipe his knuckles with a towel.
Didn't have to be this way. He said unnervingly calmly, not looking over his shoulder. Coudln't have just taken the wolf's head back to town and left us alone. Why'd you have to be so persistent?" He raised the axe in the air and brought the blunt wooden end down atop my skull, jamming face into the floor.
You're daughter....I Coughed, my vision hazy from the blow. Your daughter is.....
I think we're both very well aware what she is by now huntsman. He grimaced. Problem is. Only one of us is leaving out of this cellar alive with knowledge of her....affliction. And it sure as hell isn't going to be you. I'm sure you can understand that. We both have our responsibilities you and me. And I intent to fulfil mine to her by looking out for her best interests. I refuse to see her head mounted on some wall to be gawked at like she belongs to someone else.
I looked down toward the ground in front of me able to see long claw marks made beneath my feet. Scrawled on words and messages were made between the stone.
Help.
Father. Its me.
Let me go!
Why are you doing this?
Please let me go. I won't hurt anyone. I swear.
It hurts. Hurts like..
What am I?
Don't forget. Don't forget this time. You're a werewolf. Remember.
He's keeping you locked up. He's lying to you!
Don't believe him. Please remember not to believe him again.
Run away! Fight him! Don't forget again! Don't forget...
Let me die.
You kept her here?! I screamed. Chained?! Like a dog?!! Every night for eight years!!??
I did. He responded.
But she's only wild one day out of every month during the full moon. She's human inside her mind even if she doesn't look it every other night and you knew that from these messages she left you!! But you still kept her here every night never telling her the truth!!!
I did. He said. I had to. Couldn't leave her to wander the woods after dark and attract more attention from the town. If I told her what was really happening she would have run off long ago and that would have caused a whole mess of problems for herself and others she came across. But keeping her here safe and oblivious to what she had become has worked out so far. At least it did. He gripped the axe handle tighter. "Until you came along."
No..The village knew something was prowling the forest long before I came here. This is your doing somehow. She ran away. From you.
Yes. She did. I made...A mistake. I let her have to much freedom. To much trust and look what became of it. My daughter disobeyed me and stayed out after dark to meet with some boy knowing iI forbade it. Time and time again I kept telling her she was a whore so she would stay away from him and that she would be damned if she gave into sinful desires but she slipped out anyway. I spent the whole night trying to find her before it was too late. But. Alas. She had chosen a good spot to hide with her beloved Adam.
"The stableboy..."
Yes. A shame. I liked the lad. And apparently so did she. Ate every last scrap of him by the time I found her sleeping beside him in some secluded hollow. I knew she would have questions when she woke up with no memory of what happened. There wasn't much time. It would be hard to explain how she ended up all the way out there, and how he had died without arousing suspicion. But I found a way. A convincing way that kept her safe.
You..
"Yes."
I knocked her unconscious with a stone to keep her from waking up early. I scooped up what remained of her beloved and dumped it into the river so no one would ever find him. Then I left her there in the forest with enough cuts and bruises for her to wake up with and convince her what had occured.
Worked like a charm.
I cradled her in my arms when she returned that morning, naked and covered in blood crying, and saying she was sorry. From then on I knew I couldn't let her out of my sight, even for a second. So I told her that the boy had been killed by wolves. And she had been raped and left for dead by some passerby. That would explained the blood, bruises, and tattered dress. And she believed me well enough. She never questioned me again. Whether out of guilt, shame, or fear. It didn't matter. What was important was that she never went to town again or stayed out late willingly like she was told to. All was well. Until..
She got out again.
No. This time she was late in returning home from the woods to pick berries. She came across two children. A young brother and sister who had become caught in a bear trap. She was a fool for helping them. Took far too long in helping them. By the time she was escorting the two of them home smiling all the way. The full moon hit. And they were gone. All of them.