Bound by Roses (The Bound Series Book 1) (10 page)

“Do you need help sir?” Snow White politely asked like the first time.

“You two wretched girls again!” The ugly old man pointed a crooked finger at the two young girls. “You are the blame for my misery!”

“Why us? We have only just come across you,” Rose Red stated “Stuck for a second time, no less. That does seem to be your own fault.”

“Five days have I wandered these woods, and not until I fell upon you did this beard became stuck in anything!” The ugly old man pounded his foot upon the log in anger. He struggled. The more he pulled and tugged, the more he yelled out in pain.

“That is not our fault. Perhaps if you kept it neatly trimmed,” Snow White looked at the old man deeply. His milky black eyes stared at his beard. To her they looked like the eyes of freshly caught fish. The black void staring into eternity, “But since you are stuck, and will not like our help, may be try to guess your name?”

“To help the Bear? He would rather kill me to end his curse!” The ugly old man continued to struggle with a chuckle.

“We are helping so he doesn’t have to kill you,” Snow White looked upon the ugly old man, “is that not a better option?”

The ugly old man stopped pulling and tugging upon his beard. He sat upon the ground and thought for a moment, “I see no harm, for try as you may, you will never guess my name. And at sundown on the seventh day, her Soul will be mine to do with as I please!”

“Whose Soul?” Rose Red questioned.

“None of your concern—ugh—now guess!” The ugly old man yelled, “Quickly!”

“Is it Charles? No—May Bell? No?” Rose Red began guessing immediately before the ugly old man’s voice disappeared in the shadow of the brush that surrounded them.

“Terran? Remnan? Bastian?” Snow White guessed next.

“Try as you like, you will never guess my name,” the ugly old man chanted again, and again in a singsong fashion almost like a sea shanty. He tugged his beard a third time, “Now leave me be to this wretched fate that has befallen me!”

“At least let us help you. Or would you prefer the Bear to come and swipe you?” Snow White asked with a devilish smirk and chuckle.

The creatures milky eyes grew wide at the prospect of what could be, “very well. Do what you need.”

Rose Red, from a tiny bag she carried around her waist, produced a small dagger. With a slice she made swift work of the beard that was trapped within the log. The little man tumbled backwards several feet from the log. Strands that remained trapped, burst into green flame, and released the putrid smell of rotting fish dissolving away into sea foam.

“My beard! My beard! My precious beard!” The ugly old man jumped up and down as he screamed. Thick dust clouds billowed upwards. Into his wrinkled hand he gathered a swirling ball of black and blue mist. It glowed bright as a star that reflected upon the waves at midnight. Ready to throw it upon the two young girls, the talking Bear returned. He released a mighty roar as he bounded with a great leap from the brush. Startled, the creature dropped the swirling ball of mist into the nothing from whence he created it. And in a flash of putrid green flame, he himself, disappeared.

“What happened?” The talking Bear trudged forward from the woods.

It was then that Snow White and Rose Red recounted what had happened when they awoke from their short nap, and found the ugly old man stuck in a log, and cut his beard. They also informed him of all the names that they had tried.

“As I have said. It is impossible to guess this small creatures name.”

“Nothing is impossible,” Snow White tried to pet the Bear, who merely huffed and sulked away. They watched him fade into the shadow.

Not long later, Rose Red and Snow White came upon the silent woman, who danced, naked within the failing sunlight. Her red hair, redder now in the late afternoon sun, twirled and spun. A great and heavy sadness lay within her eyes. A sadness of pain, with every step she took, but even with all the pain, she continued to dance as if she never had another chance to. It was both sad and beautiful to the two young girls who lay hidden within the shrubs. Clapping caught their attention.

Snow White and Rose Red watched the ugly old man, sitting upon a log. He was the source of the clapping. His hair ragged like green seaweed. He looked to them much more ugly than before, more rotting and fishier in appearance. The creatur
e’
s skin was almost spoiled and very damp. He clapped and laughed at the young woman.

“Yes, dance. Dance my little mermaid! Dance! And with luck, you shall see that human you have fallen so in love with. Though the days grow less and he has yet to appear. Such a pity.” He watched the young woman dance and twirl, until at last she collapsed in silent tears, and wept into her hands. He approached with awkward hobble, as if the creature never walked upon the land before. His damp fingers grabbed the woman’s chin sharply, “it would seem your Soul will be mine, as was promised. Isn’t that right?”

The silent woman shook her head and removed his grip. Done with her, the ugly old man snorted, disappeared in a flash of green fire. An evil laughter, deep and bone chilling, remained for several more seconds after the fire died away.

As the young woman sobbed into her knees upon the ground, Rose Red and Snow White came from their hiding spot to console her.

“You are looking for true love too?” Snow White asked softly of the mysterious red headed woman. She wiped away tears and nodded softly, and rested her head upon her bony knees.

“Can you speak?” Rose Red kneeled before her. She shook her head. Fire red hair flung to and for. When she stopped, the girl opened her mouth and showed where her tongue used to be. A very sharp blade had crudely, but expertly removed it.

“Are you bound by the same spell as the talking Bear?” Snow White wondered. The mute girl stared at the girls, shrugging slightly.

“The talking Bear said he had only seven days to guess that Ugly Little Man’s name, and then he said that you had only seven days, it must be the same spell!” Snow White clapped her hands, before grabbing Rose Red’s arm, “Wait here—we will return with the talking Bear!”

The girl nodded happily, arms wrapped around her knees that were pressed against her breast. She rubbed her legs and feet tenderly until the pain ceased. A tear dropped from her eye. The two girls disappeared into the woods, skipping the entire way.

The two young girls having left the young woman behind traveled to find the talking Bear. They called for him, but it was very hard not knowing his name. They also did not want to attract the attention of the ugly old man. Through bush and shrub they found the Bear, who had been looking for them as well.

“Children!” The Bear declared, “I have wonderful news!”

Both children snuggled the Bear’s warm fur in a hug. Snow White let go first to talk, “As do we.”

The talking Bear turned away from them. His eyes seemed almost starry, and glazed over,  “Come I must show you what I found.”

“But,” Rose Red pleaded, but the brown Bear was now almost galloping away, back into the woods.

“Come, come,” the Bear continued on.

Unable to change the Bears mind, follow him further away from the young woman, who he so desperately sought. The Bear led them to a great rocky grey hill. In which a cave was naturally formed. Not far, the girls could hear the ocean crash upon the shore. From the small opening, crags pierced the ground and hung from the roof. So sharp and jagged that they resembled dragon’s teeth, both girls clung tight to the Bear. Dampness hung upon the stone teeth that made them glisten in the light. A strange aqua mist hung to the caves floor. It glowed and pulsed dimly.

“How did you find this cave?” Snow White asked both hands gripped into the Bears fur. Her little heart beat wildly. Her feet did not want to move, but the Bear led them ever slowly towards the cave.

The Bear stepped forward with glazed, glossy eyes, “A Fairy showed it to me.”

“A Fairy?” Rose Red asked curiously.

The Bear led them past the sharp-toothed entrance. A shiver ran through both children. The three trudged through the aqua mist, which was very thick. It almost stuck to the girl’s feet like muck. Inside, beautiful veins of sapphire ran through the blackened stone. The raw gemstones seemed to glow magically. They gave light, as the sun did not seem to penetrate the darkness of the cave.

“I don’t think we should be here,” Rose Red mumbled, leaning closer to the Bear.

“It is all right, children,” the Bear chuckled, “I will protect you.”

Deeper in still they traveled. The air was electric. It tingled the girl’s flesh. It gave them goose bumps that run up and down their arms. Chills would occasionally run through them. The cave was silent, aside from a slight hum, and chorus of whispers.

Snow White asked of it, “What is that noise?”

“There is no noise,” Rose Red replied. Both girls’ voices did not echo.

“Hello!” Snow White called out, but she did not receive an echo. She shivered as uneasiness settled in around her.

The cave was soon lit by the glow of strange amber dust particles, the size of embers from a fire. They each gave off a soft, warm light. But it was not enough to dispel the cold aqua mist that hung upon the ground, which grew thicker, still the further back they traveled.

“Where-where are we?” Rose Red pulled herself closer to the Bear as she asked.

“A magic cave,” the talking Bear moved forward slowly. His paws became stuck in the thick mist. The chorus of voices grew louder in Snow White’s ears. She ignored it. The Bear continued to talk in a low grumble, “a magic cave, to change my fate.”

“Why would you want to change your fate?” Snow White asked as the trio approached a bubbling pool of glowing sapphire water.

They stopped before it. The churning waters made no noise.

The Bear cleared his throat, “to spare me this awful cure.”

Two great thick pillars of jagged sapphire that hummed, and twinkled softly in the natural glow of the pool stood erect. They jutted upwards like two flesh stripped fingers. Both sapphire pillars came to a sharp, knife like point. The pool itself exuded the aqua mist that hung and slithered upon the ground. Within the pool, Snow White thought she caught the glimpse of a tiny, red jewel. A ripple of water, and the jewel was gone, swallowed away into another realm, and another time.

He shook his body, and the girls let their grip upon his fur go. He approached, sloshing through the heavy mist. Neither children spoke as the Bear dipped his large paw into the ice-cold pool. The water was thick, and stuck to the Bears paw as he pulled out. The glob of water fell back into the pool in a large glittering stream.

“What now?” Snow White asked.

“I do not know,” the Bear’s head did not turn away from the pool.

The chorus of voices became silent.

The air became more electric.

The pillars of sapphire burst into emerald flame.

The pool rippled as a single entity. The amber dust particles that lit the cavern vanished as they each popped. Both girls jumped back as a beautiful voice cried out into the cavern from the pool,

“
Who dares to enter my cavern
?”

The talking Bear stepped closer to the pool, “Prince Ahrik of the Western Shore, come to change the fate that has befallen me.”

The pool before them spun and took form. It rose slowly. The water, reflecting the emerald flames within ripples that danced and rained downwards. Before them stood a strange hooded figure made of the sparkling pools water,

“
You wish to change your fate
?” The water asked. The creature’s voice rippled and echoed in all their ears, but not the cavern.

“I do.”

“Once done, it cannot be unbound,” the voice called, two arms moved and crossed a chest, but soon disappeared back into the blob. “
The fate will be yours until your last breath
.”

The Bear looked back and smiled at the two children. His eyes remained glazed, “I understand.”

The hooded figure leaned forward slightly. The pool near the Bear’s feet receded like a wave preceding a tsunami, “
There is a price to what you seek so desperately
.”

“To remove myself of this awful curse, I shall pay it!” The Bear growled deeply, but as before his voice did not echo in the cavern.

The figure bowed. It then extended itself out, and began to engulf the Bear. Both children stepped back. The water started at the Bears feet. He rose to his hind legs, either by his own will or by force. The pool wrapped slowly around like a snake. The figure spoke more,

“
Your fate, dear Prince Ahrik of the Western Shores, she you sought is but a memory. She who will be yours lies far to the North. From her seven sons shall she bestow to you. Though betrayed by one you shall, who will sell their soul to the ancient witch
.”

The watery figure fully engulfed the Bear, as he released a mighty roar into the cave. He tried to fight, but was trapped in place by the thick water. Mouth open, the glittery water forced its way into his lungs. Roar disappeared. Glaze of his eyes disappeared. The Bear looked upon the girls with surprise. He fought, but could not move. He became encased. Lifted a few inches off the ground, the children watched. The fur melted like stardust. Limbs reformed. The emerald flames slowly died away. The amber dust reappeared. The water receded back. The amber specks returned to light the cavern. Upon lay a handsome, dark haired man upon the floor. He shivered slightly as he lay naked, curled into a ball.