Tears of the Wolf- Part I

Carmen strolled aimlessly along the path, enjoying the  late afternoon sunlight as it faded into dusk. The warm breeze billowed her crimson dress up about her knees, and her hair was lifted back from her face and shoulders for a moment in a shining dark cloud. She smiled, closing her eyes briefly and beginning to hum softly to herself as she walked. Sometimes she preferred to enjoy the sunset from the back of her chestnut-colored stallion, Chester, but it was late summer and she feared him being overheated on days like this, when she stayed out for hours.1

It wasn’t exactly that she didn’t like to be at home, she didn’t mind it, but it was a small village that preferred to settle with a lazy sort of contentment into the same routine, day in and day out. Carmen herself was a victim of this syndrome. Every weekday she woke up and went to the inn, working there as a waitress. Her town wasn’t much for whoring, at least, not out where everyone could see it, and while other inns might have employed many a harlot, theirs did not. She’d grown up in that inn, having been orphaned at a young age. Methias, the innkeeper (who, at the time, had been the innkeeper’s son) had had a soft spot in his heart for the abandoned toddler and taken her inn, allowing her to live in one of the inn’s rooms for fifteen years. For the last three of those years, Carmen had been working, earning her own wages in order to make a life of her own. This last year she’d bought herself her own little cottage on the edge of town, and she continued her little job at the inn to pay off her expenses. That was all well enough. The occasional, innocently intended, off-color comment  from one of the more elderly men in town when she leant to serve them always gave her a laugh, and Methias put up Chester in the stable without any charge. She was well-off, but for a free-spirited girl of sixteen, that was not enough. Her youthful mind craved adventure, scandal, romance…anything but the stifling sameness of small-town life.2

She looked up at the sky, her olive green eyes catching the reflection of the sun’s descent, and sighed in rueful disappointment. She turned reluctantly to head back home. She had always rather liked the night, but she knew it was dangerous to stay out past dark, especially in times such as these. Who knew what creatures might be lurking about?3

Just then she was jerked out of her musing by the thunder of approaching hooves beating against the earth. She had a confused moment to register that the sound was not coming from behind nor ahead of her, but from somewhere off the path, and then a dark shape was flying at her from the underbrush.4

Carmen let out a short cry of surprise and threw herself out of its path, rolling unceremoniously into a ditch at the side of the dirt road as the horse landed its leap. Her heart beat with painful force inside of her chest as she realized that if she hadn’t moved just when she did, she’d have been nothing more than  a dark stain on the ground. She raised her head, her initial shock and fear melting into fury as the rider yanked his horse to an awkward halt and vaulted out of the saddle in a graceful dismount. He was sprinting toward her the second his boot-clad feet touched the ground, sending up little puffs of dust. 5

“Shit,” he muttered to himself as he ran, “Shit, shit, shit.”6

“Miss! Miss are you allri-“ he stopped mid-sentence upon reaching her, his slate-gray eyes widening slightly as he gazed down upon her. 7

Carmen felt blood rise to her face in a heated blush as she glanced down at herself. The fall had upset her clothing considerably. The extra fabric of her dress was pinned beneath her, pulling the garment tightly against her body and accentuating her every curve. The hem of the dress was up around her thighs, giving the stranger a considerable view of her long, lightly tanned legs. She glared up at him with mixed fury and astonishment at his audacity, staring at her as blatantly as he was, until after a moment he regained himself. 8

He shook his head as though to clear it and a deep blush of embarrassment surfaced on his own face.9

“I- sorry…I seem to have…er, allow me…”10

He extended one large, gloved hand down to her. Carmen slapped it away with an indignant huff, untangling her legs and rising to her feet without his help, much to the man’s flabbergasted chagrin. She adjusted her dress and tossed her hair behind her shoulders haughtily. 11

His heart sank to see a shallow cut running across her high cheekbone, but before he could say anything, her voice was accosting his ears. His brows shot up in mild surprise at the woman’s…well, boldness.12

“Just what the Hell were you thinking, huh?” she asked, her eyes meeting his unflinchingly, although she had to tilt her face up towards his in order to do it. She was easily a head taller than most girls her age, but the crown of her head came to his chin.13

“I…well…“ he was clearly fumbling for words. She cut him off.14

“No! You weren’t thinking at all, you half-wit! You nearly frightened the life out of me, and your horse nearly trampled the life out of me!”15

“Just let me explain!” he protested defensively, trying fruitlessly to regain his bearings. Who would have expected such a sharp tongue? She’d caught him completely off guard, especially with his mind being on other matters. And her being so damn beautiful wasn’t helping his stutter along much.16

“You’re no longer a boy, that much is clear to me. There’s no reason for you to be careless like one,” she replied, pursing her lips disapprovingly. 17

“Look, that isn’t how I usually act, if it’s all the same to you. I wasn‘t expecting somebody to be out walking this late, and that wasn‘t all too smart of you. I couldn‘t see you” he replied, pressing his lips together to hide his smirk at the woman’s flaring up further at his comment.18

“You‘re trying to blame me now?!” she asked, raising her voice at him again. “Gods, I have half a mind to slap some sense into you!” She turned sharply away from him and stalked purposefully in the direction of his horse. He was helpless against admiring the way her raven-colored locks caught the fiery light of the sun’s passage, and the fluid motion of her hips as she walked. She stopped and rubbed her hand down the horse’s smooth flank. 19

He felt rather guilty upon seeing Carmen’s hand come away from his horse shiny with sweat, but it was lost when he had to will himself once more not to smirk or even burst out laughing at the woman’s temperament. Not to mention that she looked rather appealing, being all passionate and defiant.20

“Explain this, sir. I am anxious to hear what you have to say,” she challenged sardonically, feeling enraged all over again. And what was that look?! He was staring at her as though he knew something she didn’t, and she didn’t like it. She moved around to the horse’s head, caressing her muzzle soothingly. “You’ve run this poor girl nearly to death!”21

“I have been run nearly to death myself,” he replied gravely, striding over to meet her.22

Carmen raised her face to meet his gaze once more, and for the first time she took in their stunning color-a dark gray that was almost that of stone. His dark hair hung down over his brow in a way that attracted Carmen instinctively. Now that she took the time to look, she realized that he was quite handsome. His face was angular, his jaw line set and strong. She realized, however, that he was much younger than she had first thought him to be. He was so thin that he was gaunt, which accentuated the angularity of his features to the point of making them harsh. She took in his pale face and sallow cheeks with sympathy. His entrancing eyes seemed to be looking out at her from sunken sockets. 23

Carmen’s eyes lost their chilly anger and her tone had softened almost completely when she spoke next, although she still sounded somewhat edgy. 24

“What’s happened to you?” she asked, studying him intently.25

The stranger smiled a melancholy smile that hurt Carmen’s heart. “I’ve been run out of my village…they…” he stopped to clear his throat, “They’ve killed my parents. Considering the lot of us an abomination, when we’ve done nothing wrong to any of them…” he looked down at his boots,“ I should think you now see the need for my urgency…” 26

He tensed, unsure of how she would take that. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he would if it came down to getting her out of his way- and her keeping her discretion. 27

Carmen bit down on her lip. Rejected for being an abomination. He was a fugitive, then. And what, exactly, had he done to earn that status? She studied his features once more and decided she didn’t want to ask.28

“Well, I should think if you were a killer, I would have parted ways with my life by now. And I don’t think you would have stopped to offer your apologies for nearly leveling me,” she commented, a small smile gracing her lips. 29

The man relaxed visibly, a smile lighting his features and reflecting his actual age. Carmen found that she rather adored that smile.30

“Aye,” he replied, still smiling, “And even with a killer’s heart, I wouldn’t have it in me to lay my hands on such beauty as you…” a bemused smirk was tugging at the corners of his mouth.31

Carmen rolled her eyes and turned back to his horse, chuckling slightly. “Do most women find this appealing?”32

“Yes, in fact, some women find it rather dashing,” he replied, emphasizing the last word with a mock flex of his muscles.33

Carmen laughed, combing her fingers through the horse’s silken black mane. “Well, I think it makes you rather look like an idiot. So stop it,” after a pause, she added, “And what is this lady’s name?”34

“Artemis,” he replied, patting the horse’s neck lovingly. She had been his companion since early childhood.35

Carmen turned towards him again, and he found himself momentarily reeling beneath her dark green gaze. He couldn’t help but be amused by that. A woman. The very last thing that he needed, and yet, here she was. He had almost literally stumbled across her.36

“And yours?” she enquired.37

He smiled, using the back of his hand to brush his mess of hair away from his eyes. “Leon Eckhart, at your service,” he said, bowing low in a sarcastic impression of aristocracy that made her laugh. “And yours, fair maiden?” he asked, deepening his voice beyond its usual tone.38

She laughed again. “Get up,” she said, feigning exasperation at his joking. In truth, she found it rather enjoyable. When he obliged, she extended her hand. “My name is Carmen van Broderick. It’s far less noble than it sounds, I assure you.”39

He grinned, and continuing on with his playful jest, he kissed her hand, gray eyes lit mischeviously upon seeing her light blush. “We are well met, Carmen.” 40

She smiled. “We are indeed. Now, I must insist upon leading this lovely lady into town and cleaning her up,” she said, taking Leon’s horse by the reins in her free hand and yanking her other one out of his grasp. 41

He simply stood there for a moment, one brow raised, before he caught up with her in a couple of long strides. “I can handle her, you know,” he said.42

“I’m well aware,” Carmen replied coolly, smirking slightly. She glanced up at the sky. It was fully dark, now, the sun must have set the rest of the way while she was berating him. “But we’re close enough to my village, and I know the way.”43

They walked on in companionable silence, each glancing at the other out of the corner of their eyes. He was admiring the strength and fearlessness with which Carmen led Felicia. As far as horses went, she was quite large. Carmen was admiring the way Leon had closed his mouth. Young men’s jaws, in her experience, were apt to become unhinged in the presence of young women, especially young men who tried to woo with their sense of humor, like Leon. They walked on in a silence that dignified him in her eyes.44

By the time they reached town, the sky had deepened to an opaque ebony and the stars had shown their pale faces. There was no moon that night, but it was still light enough to see. Carmen led Felicia and Leon quietly inside of the inn’s stable. 45

“Cal? Are you here?” she called, her voice low so as to avoid waking up the early-drowsing horses. “Cal…?”46

“Aye, Carmen! Where else am I ever?” a voice replied from the darkness. Without warning, a boy, no older than twelve, dropped down from the loft and landed inches away from Carmen. Leon observed with mild amusement that the boy’s fair face was lit with  a blush, and he was staring up at Carmen as though entranced. “What can I do for you?”47

Carmen smiled kindly down at him, placing Felicia’s reins in his calloused hand. “Rub her down and put her up for the night, Callie, would you? And make sure she has food and drink…”48

Cal nodded eagerly, and Leon thought that if Carmen had asked him to douse himself in oil and then light himself on fire, he would have nodded just the same way and jumped to the task just as eagerly. He was a victim of a young boy’s crush. The notion somehow brought home the charm of Carmen’s town and he smiled, thinking he would be more than happy to settle down here…perhaps with Carmen herself. This brought on further thoughts, most of which involved the vista of the woman he had received when she had fallen on the ground, and he decided that now was not the place for the thoughts. 49

“Of course, milady, always eager to help horseflesh, so I am,” Cal replied, and his smile revealed a missing tooth. Carmen grinned, laughing at how fancy he always tried to speak when he was around her, and as Leon watched, she bent down and kissed his cheek. The man chuckled. He had never seen such a ludicrously happy expression on a boy’s face before, nor had he ever seen someone turn so beet red as Cal had. He took Felicia and bustled off hurriedly, and Carmen took Leon by the arm and led him back out into the warm summer night.50

“He may be young, but he’s as good a stable hand as there ever was, I’d bet. You can trust him with that mare of yours,” she said, smiling up into his face. The moonlight darkened her hair and paled her face, accentuating the glow of her green eyes. He understood in that moment that he was falling for her. It had started the moment he’d seen the passion with which she shouted at him, and it had deepened when she had bent to kiss that boy, likely making his entire year. There was something about that which he admired. Her kindness to take him here in spite of his status made her noble, and her little quips as they teased each other made her…rather desirable. Women a bit less on the proper side had always attracted him, he couldn’t have said why, but he had liked that she was bold enough to yell at him but playful enough to tolerate his shameless attempts at making her laugh.51

Meanwhile, Carmen was taking a liking to his good nature. In truth, the fact that he seemed to be trying to flirt with her by mocking the entire concept of flirting was something that she rather liked. He got points for originality, at any rate. Not to mention that his laugh was enough to weaken her knees, and he was among the more attractive men that she had seen. As they walked away from the stable, she took his hand impulsively. He blushed lightly but made no objection, and she led him that way into the inn. She didn’t know where Methias was, but she would explain the situation to him in the morning. She leaned over the counter and snagged a set of keys, then led Leon to the first floor’s suite.52

She smiled brightly, unlocking the door and then holding it open for him. She grinned at the expression of awe on his face.53

“Quaint, huh?” she asked, closing the door behind them.54

Leon let out a surprised chuckle. “Extravagant was the word I would have used…” he replied, smiling lopsidedly. He turned back to face Carmen and she felt her heart warm slightly at the way he was looking at her. 55

“Thank you for all of this,” he said. 56

She nodded, smiling coyly. He stepped closer, and she stepped back teasingly, unaware that she was really doing it. He smirked and stepped closer again, and when Carmen went to step back, she found that her back was pressed against the door. She looked up into his eyes for a moment, and then shrugged theatrically. 57

He took her meaning clearly enough. ‘Oh, look where I happened to end up. Silly me…’58

“Well, look at this,” he commented, placing one hand on the door next to her head and leaning that way, eyes roaming over her figure.59

She grinned. “One of us will have to move.”60

“Aye,” he replied simply, and with that he cupped her cheek in one of his strong hands, let the other one fall to the small of her back, and kissed her deeply.61

Carmen responded at once, lacing her fingers together at the back of his neck and pressing herself tightly against him, smirking within the kiss at the feeling of him hardening against her.62

It was Leon who finally pulled back, breathing heavily. He swallowed hard., his damp hair hanging in his brilliant eyes. Carmen pushed it back for him.63

“And what was that for?” she asked teasingly, her voice lilting playfully.64

“For your kindness,” he replied, as though that should have been obvious. She smiled and he kissed the corner of her mouth. “And for your discretion.”65

She looked at him questioningly, though her eyes still danced with a seductive glow. “My discretion?” she enquired.66

“Well, yes, unless you want me out of here at first light, I suppose you won’t be telling them that I’m a fugitive,” he replied.67

“Oh. My discretion,” she replied, nodding. “Anything else?”68

He laughed, rolling his eyes and stroking her cheek lightly. “Modest tonight, are we? Aye, then. There is something else,” he leaned so that he was speaking directly into her ear, “Because you’re fucking beautiful.”69

He kissed her again, and she caught herself letting out a sound that was half gasp, half moan. This time she was the one who broke the kiss.70

“Have dinner with me?” she asked, pushing him gently away from her.71

“Aye,” he replied, and though he stepped back willingly enough, she caught the longing in his eyes.72

“I’ll hold you to it,” she said, turning the knob. She blew him a teasing kiss over her shoulder as she slipped out, shutting the door behind her.73

“You won’t be disappointed,” he said softly to the closed door. He couldn’t help but wonder, however, if he had just gotten them both involved in something dangerous.74

Carmen walked home with a rather wide smile adorning her face as she thought of him. Perhaps she would make him breakfast in the morning. For a sixteen-year-old craving something new, this day had been like an answer to her prayers, and she’d have been lying if she said that she wasn’t excited about it. Perhaps it would become more than just a fling, in time. 75

She rolled her eyes at that. It was simply pushing her luck.76

She slipped into her little cottage and went to sleep that night with thoughts of him. She had no way of knowing that when Leon had nearly run her down, he had sentenced them both to damnation.77