The castle was in ruin, both inside and out. The town beneath its once grand structure was ablaze with fire and chaos. Women screamed as soldiers ravaged them while men, children and livestock were butchered mercilessly. The stench of rotting corpses and crushed wildlife filtered into the castle walls and drifted into every room. She gazed at what she had done, a smile on her angelic features that betrayed her truest intentions, of which had already been dealt upon the city of Belvine.
"You have taken everything from me you witch! What more do you want?" snarled David. Sweat and tears mingled and matted his mustache. The furs hat he had begun his day in now lay scattered across his throne room. All his body could physically do now was tremble as his wide gaze remained locked on the evil creature that had turned his kingdom into bloody ashes. The witch's lithe body twitched slightly at the dangerous tenor of the king's voice, before he had lost his sword to her powerful blows, he had seemed determined to defeat her. It was only now that he struggled to maintain an upright position. Leaning heavily on what remained of his throne. Rose looked into his pale blue eyes, his brown locks of hair clung to his temples and cheeks, anger and pain seemed etched into his brow.
Belvine had been a mere stop along the way for her, she had traveled across the great ocean in search of a new beginning in her life, a place where she could make for herself a home and possibly find a sisterhood. Yet as she had passed through the city she could not help but cringe at the happiness that emanated from every blade of grass; from the smiles of joy on the children's faces. Love that she could all but taste on her pallet. These things had darkened her mood. She had merely set about in correcting these things of love and tenderness. And now here she stood at the center of it all eyeing the king with utter distain and raw hate; for it had been he that allowed these things. And for this he and he alone would pay the price. The witch smirked at the handsome king and a gleam came to her eyes that were otherworldly.
"Take heed for this shall be the last that you see of me but my name shall go down in your history books as Rose for my name is as I am; beautiful only until you unsettle my quiet serenity only then do my thorns prick the fingers that have disturbed me. And as for you King David your castle can be repaired as well as your people yet you will never be as you are now, only a single thing can break my ruling if it is to be broken at all. From now until then your body shall bend and be like no other man's for it can only be that which I command...." David felt himself wracked with pain that tore through his very core, falling to the ground he covered his face, a cry a pure agony on his lips; frozen with magic a power that he had never known before.
"This castle shall be your home and no other's, covered in the darkness of your heart. From this you can not escape for here shall be your fate. Fur and fang shall be yours to hate, and as this you shall not age. Only the pure of heart can save you from these fates." and with that the witch Rose vanished into thin air leaving on a single crimson rose in her place.
David's ears rang and his tongue was swollen, his vision was watery and blurred all the while his body convulsed and twitched, he sprawled and shrieked as his body more then tripled in size! His clothes ripped as from his burning itching skin sprang tuffs of silken black fur; what once was his own familiar voice seemed to turn gravely and deep chest reverberating growls came from within the king. His fingers and toes grew hooked dagger-like claws and his teeth seemed to be as sharp razor blades! Pointed ears sprouted from his now shaggy head. Once the pain subsided David had no idea how to even get up, his muscles bunched beneath him and he felt extra warm. Gingerly he stepped closer to the light that filtered threw the window, stunned at the massive bear sized paw that was now at the end of his impossibly long hairy leg, the creature stumbled back. Toppling across the room he ended up crashing into a suit of armor that stood near the adjacent window, shaking himself with a loud groan he caught his reflection for the first time since the witch's curse. A shaky snarl erupted from his massive jaws as David startled himself, he was hideous! He found himself to be covered in black shiny fur with a tall muscular body, lean torso, a huge chest and ears that were nearly wolf-like. Suddenly he felt a strange tingle at the base of his spine, he turned to look back at himself and there attached to him was a long silken tail! His face was shaped like a cross between a wolf and that of lion ending with a shortened snout with matching upper and lower fangs! Among all the cursed sensations his balls and cock felt extra heavy as will but he couldn't bring himself see those yet, there was too much changed already. He had paws with human like fingers that ended with blades for claws and what were once his feet and legs now were stronger and bent more to. Gazing at his face he was somewhat relieved to see that he still had his pale blue eyes which were striking against the long silken black of his body covering fur reminding him of the body he had lost.
Shame and fear welled up inside of the King, he no longer was king and he was not even human. Glancing out the window he saw what was once the people of his town, he watched as the survivors recovered their dead and what they could salvage from the wreckage of their homes and slowly begin a long trek out into unknown territory. He had failed his kingdom and its people, he could no longer take care of them, he hadn't even been able to save them from this single attack! His shame melted into an open wound, anger washed over his heart and from deep inside him built a cry of torment that he had never known; suddenly he realized he had been literally growling a hideous snarling wail into the open sky. Those that had begun wandering out of Belvine turned at the noise but simply continued on their way once it had died out; knowing that something terrible had become of their once King David.
2
Sensual screams and hushed moaning could be detected on the opposite side of the bedroom door but Annabelle tried concentrating on her cross-stitching instead of what she knew her older sister was up to; this would be the third time this week that the blacksmith's apprentice, John had shown up at the door. Angelica had caught John's attention at a community horse sale, Angelica had tried to persuade Annabelle in joining in their fun when it had first started last month; but Annabelle had refused to spoil her own virtue even if her sister did not mind giving in so easily. Father had gone to sell the bales of wheat and some of the small blankets and handkerchiefs that Annabelle had sewn. Their mother had drowned in a swift current on the northern riverbank nearly three years ago, and it had been much harder without her to depend on in the home. Angelica had begun rebelling shortly after and rarely pitched in to assist in the work that was keeping the small family farm afloat. The two lover's were being rather boisterous this time and finally Annabelle put her sewing away, grabbing her emerald cloak from it's hook that hung next to her bedroom door she went to the small barn to check on the less filthy animals.
Unlocking the double sliding doors to the building she pushed them open just enough for her to slip inside. A low mooing greeted the young woman as Sally their milking cow turned in her stall to see who had come in. Cooing and clucking told Annabelle that the chickens had come indoors. She walked down the isle where the six horse stalls were. They were home to three big draft horses and three Persians. Coming to the dapple grey Persian mare, Molly, Annabelle entered the stall and took the comb from the hook. Molly's deep brown eyes spoke to the woman as she approached. A greeting whicker told Annabelle that the mare was glad to see her. Annabelle was glad to get away from those humping monkeys in the house, she didn't appreciate the way her sister abandoned her morals and responsibilities for a few moments of delight. Father had advised Annabelle to leave her older sister be, that everyone expressed their pain in their own right. But Annabelle did not agree. She was the one who had to pick up the slack that Angelica willfully dropped. It was Annabelle who took care of the animals and sowed the fields alongside her father, and repaired all the garments, as well as made all the meals. She even chopped firewood and cleaned the house on her own while her father would go to town to sell or trade. Her curls had grown extra long and frizzy and her own clothes had gone a long time without being updated other then a regular washing. Her hands were dry and cracked from the winds and sun, her skin had a golden melon tan from working in the sunshine, her eyes matched the velvety green of her cloak, unlike her mother's and sister's eyes which were a silvery hazel. Her sister had a slim tall body from shoulders to ankles that many considered sexy and perfect, while Annabelle was more petite in stature with fuller thighs.
Molly's coat was so soft but slightly muddy since she had been on the roads the night prior when it had rained. Annabelle got a bucket and opened the stall door to fill it with water from the well. Molly nickered gleefully and followed the girl. Stopping at the barn doors because the animal couldn't fit through the gap in the doors, Annabelle tugged up the water pale but it took her a few minutes because the well was rather deep. Pouring the cool water into the bucket she then released the rope letting it slide easily back down into the well. On turning she gave a chuckle once she saw Molly's head poking threw the slight gap; watching her.
"Molly you silly creature! Come on let's rinse you off girl." Annabelle cooed to the horse as she walked over and gave to horse a slight push backwards into the barn again, the animal backed up without complaint. Her hand on the horse's cheek she directed her back to her own stall. Snatching up a soft rope she looped it over Molly's head and attached it to the big metal ring on the outer wall of the animal's stall. Then she got a big sponge and hand towel and began to wash the horse's coat.
The scent of nature and earth filled the space, making Annabelle begin humming with delight, she loved being outdoors and caring for animals. She felt Molly nuzzle her skirts with acknowledgement the horse loved attention and treats; with a smile Annabelle pulled the sugar cubes from her pocket where she had been nuzzling. Giggling as the creature's soft sensitive lips as she eagerly snatched up the treats. Patting Molly's soft cheek Annabelle then wiped the access water from her stormy colored coat. Once she was sure the horse's coat would dry before the night chill set in Annabelle watered and put out feed for the barn animals then headed up to the house. The sun had just begun to set, rays of pink and orange color filtered through the kitchen window as she got into the house and closed the door. There was no noise coming from her sister's room so she quickly went to her room to change her clothes, they had gotten wet and filthy from washing the mud from Molly's coat. She was stepping from her skirt when she caught a creek in the floorboards.
