Preys & Predators IV; Monster and Witches Chapter 10

 

10.

 

Rudolf did not approve of the brothers escorting them, but Lauren was insistent on that. He looked at his daughter and sighed. Obviously, she needed the company of the lads, while her last years were spent imprisoned at the mansion with only ghostly apparitions for company.

And of course, an old man who was her father.

Kane had convinced the elderly man of having extra protection.

“Sir, an extra …. Or two guards will give you that comfort.” Kane explained. “Abel and I… well, we are familiar with the demons.”

“Sir,” Abel cut in. “We are on the same route as you.”

“I did not state my direction to you.” Rudolf was not keen on having the lads with him. Lauren had tugged at the father’s right sleeve, but the elderly man ignored her.

“Sir, we are in the same direction as yourself. You were riding west, and so were we. I assumed you were going west.” Kane said, “Once you reach sight of yours, we will part ways.”

The discussion went between them, and finally Rudolf agreed. They took on the journey the next day, and Abel was told to follow at the rear, which he protested, but Kane made the call. There was no demon met on the ongoing journey, and Lauren was always leaning backwards to look at Abel.

“Father, why does Kane keep on telling his brother to do the tasks?”

“Well,” Rudolf looked at the riding lads ahead of the chaise. “Kane is the… elder, and naturally, he commands his brother.”

“You did that when you were in the army.” Lauren looked at the lads. “But some of them were older than you.”

“I was a senior officer. I held the rank that made me their superior officer, and they respected me.” Rudolf said. He had recalled those days when hundreds saluted him. It was the rank that marked the seniority.

“If only I had the brothers or sisters to instruct… or be told by them.” Lauren sighed. “I am all alone.”

“I am here. I am your father, and you must listen to me.” Rudolf looked towards her.

“Well, you are not my brother.” Lauren looked to the rear at Abel. “If you were my younger brother, I would not tell you how to do things.”

Rudolf looked on ahead. He knew what it was like when he was her age. It was all about meeting the other genders and having fun. Funny, he said to himself. Then at that age, it was all about getting the girls into the barn or the woods for the kisses and touches, but with Lauren at his side, he was all about judging what was right and wrong for her.

“I guess it is all about getting older.” Rudolf muttered to himself. He then saw the path that leads to the Frankenstein’s mansion before the creek. They took the turn and were approaching the creek where they had the last incident. He reached for the crossbow and made sure the iron peg was notched. The horse pulled at the reins, and Rudolf held taut at it.

“It is fine, my dear. We will ride through.” Rudolf reassured the horse and kept their direction on the path.

“Father, the creek,” Lauren called out.

“It is, but we are safe now.” Rudolf focused on the ride ahead. He spurred the horse to gallop on.

“Is that a man I saw there?” Lauren suddenly called out. “It was behind the tree.”

“Ignore it, Lauren,” Rudolf said. He was taken aback by his reference then. If Lauren said she saw a man, then his reply was to be him, but he said it. He had heard the rumours of the undead creature that roamed the woods. It was on the lips of the town dwellers and the woodsmen. He had dismissed it all as a fairy tale, and with his own encounters with the witches, he was not keen to be indulged in it.

“It may be a woodsman or hunter. They roam the woods for their works,” Rudolf added. “Please sit back and let us focus on the task ahead.”

It was then Abel rode towards Kane.

“I may be mistaken, but I think I saw someone in the woods. He is, I think, behind the trees.” Abel told his brother. “Shall I check?”

“No need. It may be a woodsman. Surely, you do not assume it was some forest nymphs there. They do congregate at the creek or streams.” Kane smiled.

“Hush your lewd thoughts, Kane. I am ……” Abel looked towards Lauren. “She could hear us.”

“Lauren? I doubt so.” Kane laughed. “The last nymph you met also made meat out of your heart.” Kane continued laughing.

“She is not one. I meant Lauren.” Abel snapped at his brother. “Anyway, I am going to check out that creek.”

Abel turned his horse to ride to the creek when Lauren called out to him.

“Do not go. I saw the …… woodsman. He is collecting… woods there.” Lauren told Abel. “Let us move on.”

“As you commanded, my lady.” Abel nodded to the lady and rode to the rear of the chaise.

“He addressed me as … a lady.” Lauren blushed. “I……”

“You are a lady now,” Rudolf said. He knew his daughter had grown to be a lovely lady.

Abel took to the rear, but curiosity got the better of him. He turned his horse and rode towards the creek. The natural, narrow stream fed water from the hills with its flow, characterized by the clear water, with the pebbled beds. The cool water has the small fishes there, with banks lined with vegetation like trees and wild plants; it gave the creek a tranquil, scenic environment for wildlife and reflection.

Abel led his horse to the stream and then dismounted. He squats next to the horse and washes his weary face with the water. He felt refreshed and then stood up. He looked across the stream and saw the figure there.

It was a lady, and yet she was un-ladylike.

Ugly may be the term to describe the lady.

The facial expression was a lady, but she was dressed in the men’s shirt and pants that reached below her knees and wore the worn-out boots. Her arms were not covered below the elbow, and there were scars on them.

She was not a nymph by the looks.

A witch, but they are, well, better looking or truly haggard.

“Who are you?” Abel asked.

The figure turned and ran into the woods. Abel was unsure of whether to pursue or remain there. He saw the figure disappear among the trees. He then heard his name called.

“What are you doing here?” It was Kane who rode towards Abel. “You’ve been missing for over an hour.”

“An hour? It cannot be. I just arrived here.” Abel looked at the trees. “I saw someone there. It was a lady. She ran just now.”

“Enough of your fantasy, Abel. The father and daughter have taken on their own route at the turning ahead. We are to meet Father on our own route. The town should be ahead.”

“Kane, I saw a lady there.” Abel wanted to explain himself. “She was alone.”

“Enough, Abel. You seem to me as though you were bewitched by …… the nymphs here.”

“There is no nymph here!” Abel said. “I saw……”

“We need to ride on.” Kane pulled his horse from the stream. “Did you drink from there?”

“Yes, I did.” Abel looked at Kane. “Surely you do not ……”

“Yes, you were bewitched. They could have placed a spell on the water, and you were intoxicated by it. You should know of this by now.”

“Do not taunt me, Kane. I was very much in my own state. I saw that I did, and it was not any nymph.” Abel argued back. “Let us ride. I will speak to Father on this.”

Further up ahead on the path after the turning, Rudolf let the horse take its own pace while he looked at the familiar surroundings. He had walked the grounds there many years ago.

“Father, why did Kane ride off?”

“Well, we are to take different paths. He was to go to the town, but Abel was missing. So, he backtracked to find his brother.”

“Abel missing? I did not…….”

“No, Lauren. You were looking at the woods. It looked familiar to you.” Rudolf changed the subject matter.

“No, Father. When I was here, I hardly looked out. I was too frail.” Lauren sighed. “If it was not for……”

“Your aunt, …… Carmilla was ……. helpful,” Rudolf said. He was reluctant to talk about that period. When he first heard of Carmilla, he was concerned about Lauren. The events slowly unfolded with Frankenstein, and then the battle with Dracula.

“We shall be there.” Rudolf sighed. He was still wondering why he even took the trip with Lauren. All he wanted was the recovery for Lauren, and he ended up losing her to the coven, of which his lover, Lissa, was one of its sisters. He had tried to protect Lauren, but it was all destined.

Lauren was to be a witch.

The supreme one with the power of three; Carmilla said it.

But she was not there yet. Ten years have lapsed, and her adaptation to the power was incomplete.

Rudolf knew that she could not protect herself until the power was in her. Or should he let her be one. Lissa was a witch against his wishes, and he lost her early. He looked at his own hands; the wrinkles were more prevalent there then. Ever since he left the mansion, his skin and body seemed to have aged. He was protected in the mansion then.

“We must hurry, Lauren. Find the runes, and then we will leave.”