“So what did the witch say?” Eugene said when Keller at last arrived back at his cabin.
“She will see you,” Keller said.
“Great. So which way do I go?”
“Follow the path,” Keller said. “You can’t miss it. The path leads straight to the cabin.”
“You mean that this path only leads to the witch’s place? What are you? The witch’s guardian?”
“We have worked together often enough but I am not her guardian. What witch needs a guardian?”
Eugene studied Keller looking for signs of deceit but he couldn’t see any.
“Very well then,” he said tossing a few coins on the dinner table. “Thank you. If I have success, I shall pay you more.”
“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Keller scoffed.
“Don’t be so pessimistic Keller. Surely there will be success. She is your friend after all,
Eugene thought of Lark and Erin as he rode into the woods again. He had warned Erin to stay away from the boy and he had warned the boy too. But they believed they were smarter than him. They believed they could sneak behind his back in the gardens late at night and that he was none the wiser.Well, they were about to learn otherwise. She would learn that when he told her to do something she would listen and do as she was told. Erin would understand that he would do the same to anyone else she chose to be with if he did not grant his permission. She would understand her options clearly.He had come with fewer guards this time. There was no danger here he believed. Who was going to try to challenge a witch he wondered to himself?They reached Keller’s cabin and brought their horses to a halt. Eugene dismounted and knocked on the cabin door. He didn’t wait for an answer but opened the door and entered.Keller looked over his shoulder from the fi
Erin and Lark had chosen a room in a secret passage for their date for the evening. Everyone thought they were asleep. Torches burned in sconces in the walls and they sat on blankets Lark had managed to sneak from the laundry room.They snacked on bread, cheese, and wine as they enjoyed themselves.“What would your father do if I asked him for your hand in marriage?” Lark asked.Erin laughed, “You know what he told you before. First, he will inquire how you managed to get into the castle, and then he will have you thrown out or worse, into the dungeons.”“I am being serious,” Lark said.“And so am I,” Erin replied. “What makes you think he will change his mind?”“I don’t know. But if we see him together, perhaps he will understand,” Lark persisted.Erin shook her head. “You do not know my father. We are commoners just like you. But father has worked ha
Lark had a meager portion of food pushed through the bars of his cell the next morning. He had no visitors until just after lunch when Eugene arrived outside his cell. Eugene said nothing initially but only looked at him before he finally entered the cell and locked it behind him. The guard that accompanied him kept the key.Eugene approached slowly. “We meet again,” he said quietly, triumphantly. “What did I tell you?”“I… I’m sorry sir. Please… please… I beg you. Have mercy. Give me the chance to show you how good I can be for your daughter,” Lark said.Eugene lashed out and slapped Lark so hard he stumbled backward and fell on his butt. “Get up!” Eugene said menacingly.Lark stood shakily.“I told you never to return didn’t I?”Lark said nothing.“Didn’t I?” bellowed Eugene as he struck Lark again. Lark stumbled backward i
Erin stared out of the window of her room as her maidens and her mother fussed around her making sure she was perfectly dressed and made up for her wedding.Today was her day. At least that was what her mother and father told said. She didn’t agree. She did not want to be married. It was her fathers’ day. He was getting exactly what he wanted.She did not want to be married but she had no choice. Her father had threatened to cast her out if she did not marry Horton Ashford.When they were finally satisfied that she looked like a bride, they sent word that she was ready.Her father joined them in her chamber a short while later and led her to the chapel that was attached to the castle.Horton Ashford and the guests were all waiting eagerly.Eugene led Erin down the aisle and finally left her before the altar where she stood beside Horton. The priest began the service and Horton and Erin exchanged their vows.Horton kissed E
When Lark had looked through the window of the cabin, he had been terrified to see the headless body of the witch on the floor with the head not far away.He had realized then, the cabin belonged to the witch Eugene had paid to curse him. He pieced together what had happened, concluding that Eugene had murdered her after she had cursed him.He cleaned the cabin and removed all traces of the witch. If anyone came looking for her, he would simply tell them she had left and that he had bought the cabin from her.He added a secret storage space beneath the cabin. He was able to access the storage space from inside and outside the cabin just in case he was thrown out of the cabin by some unforeseen circumstances.He stored everything that had belonged to the witch in the storage space, and over the days and months that followed he studied the witch’s magic and searched for a spell that could reverse the curse she had placed on him.He finally foun
Erin returned the next night and the next to see Lark. She waited until she thought Horton was asleep and then left the house. She sat on the swing that had since been completed. Lark left the cover of the field and stood on the opposite side of the tree so she could not see him. He was at least close enough that she did not have to shout.They spoke like they had before he had been cursed and they both felt the love they had for one another, as strong as ever.Lark persisted in asking Erin to kiss him but she resisted. She wasn’t sure it would work. She was afraid too that another enchantment would be passed to her if she kissed him.“If you do not try you will never know. Your father told me that the only way the curse can be broken is if you kiss me. Why would he have the witch place another enchantment on that? When your father told me, he was certain you would never kiss me…”“Erin?”Hor
Lark crept through the field in the dark making as little noise as he could. He now lived for every night that he could see Erin and talk to her. It was almost like old times but he still ached to be next to her, hold her and eventually kiss her.He crept to the tree where he always sat and spoke to Erin. He always waited for the music of her voice when she arrived.“Lark?” She had arrived. He felt his heart skip a beat.“I’m here my love,” Lark replied.“I hoped you would come earlier today,” Erin said.“Why?” Lark asked.“Horton has left for a few days. I thought you might be watching the cabin during the day and notice that he was gone so you could have come earlier and we could have spent more time together.”“I was not watching my lady. But now that I know I will be sure to arrive earlier tomorrow. I could even stay the night if you would like,” he said
Eugene kissed Loren goodbye. She did not kiss him back and he may as well have been kissing a statue.Loren was a shadow of the woman she had once been. She had descended into hatred and depression since Erin had disappeared.Eugene and Loren had made a trip one fine day to visit Horton and Erin at their house. They had not found Erin or Horton initially. A search of the property had led to the discovery of two bodies. The search had been widened to the nearby forest where Horton and a fourth body had been found.Eugene had been livid and had ordered the surrounding forest searched. He blamed Lark and claimed it was revenge. He offered a reward for the arrest of Lark but no-one found Lark and no-one thought to search the forest near the witch’s cabin.Loren on the other hand had blamed Eugene.“If you never cursed the boy, he would never have taken revenge!” she screamed at him time and again. “It’s all your fault! The